Benefits of Mango and it’s excellent varieties

Importance and uses of mango:

Mango possess unique nutritional and medicinal qualities apart from being a rich source of vitamins A and C. Besides its attractive form and appearance, delicious taste, and appetising flavour, the ripe mango fruit, according to nutritional experts, is also highly invigorating, fattening, laxative, and diuretic.

Every part of mango, from root to top, is used in a variety of ways. The fruit itself, in the various stages of its development, is used in many ways. In its raw stage, the fruit is used for extraction of tannin and other astringent products as well as for the preparation of delightful chutneys. curries and pickles. Ripe fruits are a delicacy for the table, while the unmarketable and inferior ones can be converted into delicious squashes, juices, nectars, syrups, jams and jellies. Canned mango slices and pulp are indeed very popular.

Varieties of Mango:

The pre-historic existence of mango in India, its widespread cultivation all over the country, and, above all, its propagation for centuries from seed, has all contributed to the multiplicity of its varieties. The vegetative propagation of mango, which seems to have come into vogue only about four centuries back, has helped in the preservation of outstanding varieties, all of which have originated as chance seedlings. According to reliable estimates, there are, at present, over a thousand recognised varieties of mango grown in India alone. If the countless sucking varieties found growing in various parts of the country are also taken into account, the number of mango varieties would become colossal indeed.

Mango Alphonso

One of the most popular variety of India, it is mainly grown in Ratnagiri area of Maharashtra and to a small extent in parts of south Gujarat and Karnataka. Its fruits are medium-sized (250g), with attractive blush towards the basal end. Pulp is firm, fibreless with excellent orange colour. It has good sugar: acid blend. Keeping quality is good. It is susceptible to spongy tissue.

Mango Banganapalli

A widely cultivated, early-maturing mango of south India. It is the main commercial variety of Andhra Pradesh. Its fruits are large-sized, weighing on an average 350-400g. The pulp is fibreless, firm and yellow with sweet taste. Fruits have good keeping quality.

Mango Bombay Green

It is one of the earliest varieties of north India. Its fruits are medium-sized, weighing about 250g each. Fruits have strong and pleasant flavour. Pulp is soft and sweet.

Mango Chausa

Late-maturing variety of north India, it matures during July or beginning of August. Fruits are large, weighing about 350g each. Fruits are bright yellow with soft and sweet pulp. It is shy bearing.

Mango Dashehari

One of the most popular variety of north India, it is a mid-season mango. Fruits are medium-sized, with pleasant flavour, sweet, firm, and fibreless pulp. Stone is thin and keeping quality good.

Mango Fazli

This is indigenous to Bihar and West Bengal. Fazli is a late-maturing (August) mango. Fruits are large, with firm to soft flesh. Flavour is pleasant and pulp is sweet and fibreless. Keeping quality is good.

Mango Gulab Khas

It is indigenous to Bihar. Regular and heavy-bearer, it is mid-season mango. Fruits are small to medium-sized. It has rosy flavour. Fruits are ambre-yellow with reddish blush towards the base and on sides. Keeping quality is good.

Mango Himsagar

Very popular in West Bengal, it is a regular-bearing mango. Its fruits are medium-sized, having good quality. Flesh is firm, yellow, fibreless with pleasant flavour. Keeping quality is good.

Mango Kesar

Popular in Saurashtra region of Gujarat, Kesar is an irregular-bearing mango. Fruits are medium-sized. Flesh is sweet and fibreless. It has excellent sugar: acid blend. Fruits ripen to attractive apricot-yellow colour with red blush. It has good processing quality.

Mango Kishenbhog

Indigenous to West Bengal, it is a mid-season mango. Fruits are medium to large-sized, good with a pleasant flavour. There are traces of turpentine. Flesh is firm with few fibres. Keeping quality is good.

Mango Langra

An important commercial mango variety of north India, it is biannial-bearer and a mid-season variety, with good quality fruits. Flesh is firm, lemon-yellow in colour and scarcely fibrous. It has characteristic turpentine flavour. Keeping quality is medium.

Mango Mankurad

It is a mid-season variety, popular in Goa. Fruits are medium-sized with yellow skin. Flesh is firm, cadmium yellow and fibreless. Keeping quality is good.

Mango Neelum

A heavy-yielding, late-season mango in south India, it has regular-bearing habit. Fruits are medium-sized with good flavour. Flesh is soft, yellow and fibreless. Keeping quality is good.

Mango Pairi

A native to coastal Maharashtra including Goa, it is an early-maturing, heavy and regular-bearer mango. Fruits are medium-sized with good quality. It has good flavour with sugar: acid blend. Flesh is soft, primuline-yellow and fibreless. Keeping quality is poor.

Mango Totapuri

Widely grown in south India, Totapuri is a regular and heavy-bearing mango. Fruits are medium to large with prominent sinus. Fruit quality is medium. It has a typical flavour and flat taste. Flesh is cadmium-yellow and fibreless