Planting materials are being distributed in India this year for four new mango varieties which could reportedly help the country’s growers quadruple production compared to old cultivars.
The new varieties were developed by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), reported India’s Economic Times. Three of them; Pusa Pratibha, Pusa Shreshth and Pusa Lalima, are red-skinned, while the fourth, Pusa Peetamber, is yellow-skinned. The varieties share traits with the Dussehari and Neelam mangoes.
Critically, the varieties are not biannually bearing like Dussehari, and are suitable for intense planting.
“About 600 saplings of these varieties can be planted in a hectare as against 100 plants of Dussehari, which automatically improves productivity. Moreover, smaller size of these plants make plucking of fruits easier,” said Dr A K Singh, head of the IARI Fruit & Horticulture division.
“These varieties will replace aging mango trees as they are resistant to mango malformation and major insect pests. Multiplication will start from next year and in the next 10 years, a large number of farmers would adopt these varieties,” he said, adding that more than 350 saplings had been distributed around India this year.
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