Varieties

'Mulgoa'–high quality but a shy bearer

'Neelum' (sometimes twice a year)–somewhat dwarf, of indifferent quality, and anthracnose-susceptible.

Most of the leading Indian cultivars are seedling selections. Over 50,000 crosses were made over a period of 20 years in India and 750 hybrids were raised and screened. Of these, 'Mallika', a cross of 'Neelum' (female parent) with'Dashehari' (male parent) was released for cultivation in 1972. The hybrid tends toward regular bearing, the fruits are showier and are thicker of flesh than either parent, the flavor is superior and keeping quality better. The season is nearly a month later than 'Dashehari'. Another new hybrid, 'Amrapali', of which 'Dashehari' was the female parent and 'Neelum' the male, is definitely dwarf, precocious, a regular and heavy bearer, and late in the season. The fruit is only medium in size; flesh is rich orange, fiberless, sweet and 2 to 3 times as high in carotene as either parent.

The Central Food Technological Research Institute Experiment Station in Hyderabad has evaluated 9 "table varieties" (firm-fleshed), 4 "juicy" varieties, and 5 hybrids as to suitability for processing. 'Baneshan', 'Suvarnarekha' and '5/5 Rajapuri' ´ 'Langra' were deemed suitable for slicing and canning. 'Baneshan', 'Navaneetam', 'Goabunder', 'Royal Special', 'Hydersaheb' and '9/4 Neelum Baneshan', for canned juice; and 'Baneshan', 'Navaneetam', 'Goabunder', 'K.O. 7'and 'Sharbatgadi' for canned nectar.

Fig. 63: 'Black Cold' mangoes, dark-green externally when ripe, are partly peeled like "radish roses" on the Bangkok market to show their yellow, fiberless flesh.

It is interesting to note that all but four of the leading Indian cultivars are yellow-skinned. The exceptions are: two yellow with a red blush on shoulders, one red-yellow with a blush of red, and one green. In Thailand, there is a popular mango called 'Tong dum' ('Black Gold') marketed when the skin is very dark-green and usually displayed with the skin at the stem end cut into points and spread outward to show the golden flesh in the manner that red radishes are fashioned into "radish roses" in American culinary art.

European consumers prefer a deep-yellow mango that develops a reddish-pink tinge. In Florida, the color of the mango is an important factor and everyone admires a handsome mango more or less generously overlaid with red. Red skin is considered a necessity in mangos shipped to northern markets, even though the quality may be inferior to that of non-showy cultivars. Also, dependable bearing and shippability are rated above internal qualities for practical reasons. And a shipping mango must be one that can be picked 2 weeks before full maturity without appreciable loss of flavor. Too, there must be several varieties to extend the season over at least 3 months.

Florida mangos are classed in 4 groups:

1–Indian varieties, mainly monoembryonic, introduced in the past and maintained mostly in collections; typically of somewhat "turpentine" character.

2–Philippine and Indo-Chinese types, largely polyembryonic, non-turpentiney, fiberless, fairly anthracnose-resistant. Scattered in dooryard plantings.

3–West Indian/South American mangos, especially 'Turpentine' and 'No.11' and the superior 'Julie' from Trinidad, 'Madame Francis' from Haiti, 'Itamaraca' from Brazil. These are non-commercial.

4–Florida-originated selections or cultivars, of which many have risen and declined over the decades.

In general, mangos from the Philippines ('Carabao') and Thailand ('Saigon', 'Cambodiana') behave better in Florida's humidity than the Indian varieties.

The much-prized 'Haden' was being recognized in the late 1930's and early 1940's as anthracnose-prone, a light and irregular bearer, and was being replaced by more disease-resistant and prolific cultivars. The present-day leaders for commercial production and shipping are 'Tommy Atkins', 'Keitt', 'Kent', 'Van Dyke' and Jubilee'. The first 2 represent 50% of the commercial crop.