Mango

? Mango
Immature Black Mango fruit
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantaeia Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Sapindales Family: Anacardiaceae Genus: Mangifera L.
Species
About 35 species, including: Mangifera altissima Mangifera applanata Mangifera caesia Mangifera camptosperma Mangifera casturi Mangifera decandra Mangifera foetida Mangifera gedebe Mangifera griffithii Mangifera indica Mangifera kemanga Mangifera laurina Mangifera longipes Mangifera macrocarpa Mangifera mekongensis Mangifera odorata Mangifera pajang Mangifera pentandra Mangifera persiciformis Mangifera quadrifida Mangifera siamensis Mangifera similis Mangifera swintonioides Mangifera sylvatica Mangifera torquenda Mangifera zeylanica

The mango (Mangifera) is a genus of about 35 species of tropical fruiting trees in the flowering plant family Anacardiaceae, native to southern and southeastern Asia from India east to the Philippines, of which the Indian Mango M. indica is by far the most important commercially. The name of the fruit comes from the Tamil word mankay, which was corrupted to manga by the Portuguese when they explored western India.

Mangos are large trees, reaching 35-40 m in height, with a crown radius of 10 m. The leaves are evergreen, alternate, simple, 15-35 cm long and 6-16 cm broad; when young they are orange-pink, rapidly changing to a dark glossy red, then dark green as they mature. The flowers are produced in terminal panicles 10-40 cm long; each flower is small and white with five petals 5-10 mm long, with a mild sweet odour suggestive of lily of the valley. After the flowers finish, the fruit takes from three to six months to ripen.

The mango fruit is a drupe; when mature, it hangs from the tree on long stems. They are variable in size, from 10-25 cm long and 7-12 cm diameter, and may weigh up to 2.5 kg. The ripe fruit is variably coloured yellow, orange and red, reddest on the side facing the sun and yellow where shaded; green usually indicates that the fruit is not yet ripe, but this depends on the cultivar. When ripe, the unpeeled fruit gives off a distinctive resinous slightly sweet smell. In the centre of the fruit is a single flat, oblong stone that can be fibrous or hairless on the surface, depending on cultivar. Inside the shell, which is 1-2 mm thick, is a paper-thin lining covering a single seed, 4-7 cm long, 3-4 cm wide, 1 cm thick.

The often leatherlike skin (and the seed) is not normally eaten.

History

Mangoes have been believed to have existed in northeast India, Myanmar and Bangladesh after fossil records were found there dating back from 25 to 30 million years. Cultivation and domestication of mangos most likely began in the Indian subcontinent, where they have been grown for more than 4000 years. Buddhist monks were known for taking mango plants on voyages to Malaya and eastern Asia in the 4th and 5th centuries BC. Around the tenth century AD, Persian traders took mangoes to the Middle East and eastern Africa. When the Portuguese arrived in India in they then took it to South America, the Philippines and to western Africa.

In the early stages of domestication, the fruits were probably very small and fibrous without much flesh. The Mughals and Portuguese selected and grew generations of mango plants. Many centuries of development have produced varieties of mangos free of both fibres and unpleasant flavours. This eventually led to the large fruits with thick flesh that we are most familiar with today.

During more recent years, mangos have been introduced throughout the frost-free tropical and sub-tropical areas of the world, wherever the climate is suitable for its growth. It is now widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical climates throughout southern Asia, North, South and Central America, the Caribbean, south and central Africa and Australia. Mango trees require hot, dry periods to set and produce a good crop. The mango is reputed to be the most commonly eaten fresh fruit worldwide. Mangos also readily naturalise in tropical climates, becoming an invasive species; some lowland forests in the Hawaiian Islands are dominated by introduced mangos. Mangos were introduced to California (Santa Barbara) in the 1880's.

Cultivation

Mangos can be grown in tropical and sub-tropical climates. They should be planted in an area with good drainage and a slightly acidic soil. They should be watered regularly when they are young but when they are old they should be watered between 10 and 15 day intervals. Mangoes normally reach maturity in 4 to 5 months from when the tree flowers. When the mango is fully-grown and ready for picking, the stem will snap easily with a slight pull.

Harvesting

Mango harvesting methods can vary with consumption patterns and distance to the market. Mangoes are best harvested using clippers and placed in harvesting bags carried by the harvester. With large mango trees, fruits are harvested by the use of picking poles, equipped with bags into which the fruit fall. Another method is when the fruit is picked by the harvester on a ladder who throws the fruit to a skilled catcher on the ground or into a large net.

Cultivars

It is easily cultivated and there are now more than 1,000 mango cultivars, ranging from the turpentine mango (from the strong taste of turpentine; some cultivars contain the same terpenes found in turpentine) to the huevos de toro (" bull's balls", from the shape and size).

In mango orchards, several cultivars are always grown intermixed to improve cross-pollination. In India, the commonest cultivar is ' Alphonso', known as the King of Mangoes due to the popular opinion that they are the best cultivar available. The best 'Alphonso' mangos are reputed to come from the town of Ratnagiri in Maharashtra. About 80% of mangos in UK supermarkets are of the single cultivar ' Tommy Atkins', which dominates the world export trade. It travels well and has a good shelf-life, but does not have the same flavour as some less common cultivars obtained from Asian shops. ' Tommy Atkins' is predominant in the USA as well, although other varieties, such as the peculiarly S-shaped and green ' Madame Francis', imported from Haiti, are also commonly available.

Pests and diseases

Mango crops can suffer from several diseases at all stages of its life. All the parts of the plant, such as the trunk, branch, twig, leaf, petiole, flower and fruit are attacked by a number of pathogens including fungi, bacteria and algae. These pathogens can cause several kinds of disease, and can cause heavy losses in mango production.

Over 492 species of insects, 17 species of mites and 26 species of nematodes have been reported to be attacking mango trees. Almost a dozen of them have been found damaging the crop to a considerable extent causing severe losses and, therefore, may be termed as major pests of mango. These insects are hopper, mealy bug, inflorescence midge, fruitfly, scale insect, shoot borer, leaf webber and stone weevil. Of these, insects infesting the crop during flowering and fruiting periods cause more severe damage. The insects other than those indicated above are considered as less harmful to a mango crop and are placed in the category of minor pests.

The leaves are toxic to cattle.

Uses

The mango is a popular fruit with people around the world. However, many mango farmers receive a low price for their produce. This has led to mangoes being available as a fair trade item in some countries.

The taste of the fruit is very sweet, with some cultivars having a slight acidic tang. The texture of the flesh varies markedly between different cultivars; some have quite a soft and pulpy texture similar to an over-ripe plum, while others have a firmer flesh much like that of a cantaloupe or avocado, and in some cultivars the flesh can contain fibrous material. Mangoes are very juicy; the sweet taste and high water content make them refreshing to eat.

The mango is in the same family as poison-ivy and contains urushiol, though much less than poison-ivy. Some people get dermatitis from touching mango peel or sap. Persons showing an allergic reaction after handling a mango can usually enjoy the fruit if someone else first removes the skin.

Once mangoes are ripe they are quite juicy and can be very messy to eat. However, those exported to temperate regions are, like most fruit in long-distance trade, picked under-ripe. Although they are ethylene producers and ripen in transit, they do not have the same juiciness or flavour as the fresh fruit. A ripe mango will have an orange-yellow or reddish skin. To allow a mango to continue to ripen after purchase, store in a cool, dark place, but not in a refrigerator as this will slow the ripening process.

Separating the mango flesh from the seed and peel can be messy and difficult because the flesh is strongly attached to the seed. The "hedgehog method" of preparing a mango involves slicing two large halves from the flat surfaces of the seed, making crosshatch cuts through the flesh of each half down to the skin, and turning each half inside-out so that the resulting cubes will pop up. Special mango cutters make this job easier; they consist of an oblong-shaped central cutter and two outwardly extending cutters in a frame with handles.

Asia

In India, mango is often made into a pulp and sold as bars like chocolate, and unripe mango is eaten with chili powder and/or salt. Southern India, especially the Andhra Pradesh state, is a major producer of mangoes that specialises in making a variety of mango pickles. These pickles are very spicy. It is almost an essential food in Andhra families, where mango pickle production is a household activity in summer. Mangoes are widely used in chutney, which in the West is often very sweet, but in the Indian subcontinent is usually sharpened with hot chilis or limes.

In the Philippines, unripe mango is eaten with bagoong, a salty paste made from fermented fish or shrimp. Mango is also used to make juices, both in ripe and unripe form. In Indonesia, green mango is sold by street vendors with sugar and salt and/or chili. Green mango may be used in the sour salad called rujak in Indonesia, and rojak in Malaysia and Singapore. In Indonesia and the Philippines Immature mango leaves are cooked and eaten. Pieces of fruit can be mashed and used in ice cream; they can be substituted for peaches in a peach (now mango) pie; or put in a blender with milk, a little sugar, and crushed ice for a refreshing beverage. A more traditional Indian drink is mango lassi, which is similar, but uses a mixture of yoghurt and milk as the base, and is sometimes flavoured with salt or cardamom. In Thailand and other South East Asian countries, sweet glutinous rice is flavoured with coconut then served with sliced mango on top as a dessert. Dried unripe mango used as a spice in south and southeast Asia is known as amchur (sometimes spelled amchoor). Am is a Hindi word for Mango and amchoor is nothing but powder or extract of Mango. Amchoor is used as a souring agent to balance the flavour of many dishes. Unlike citrus juice or vinegar, amchoor imparts a richer and more gentle acidity to food.

In Thailand, there are green-skinned mangos of a class called "keo". Their sweet, nearly fiberless flesh and very commonly grown and inexpensive on the market. They are then soaked whole for 15 days in salted water before peeling, slicing and serving with sugar.

Australia

In Australia the Kensington mango is the main mango crop. It is grown in the Queensland terretory of Australia. Its smooth stringless flesh is why it is one of the most popular types of mangoes in the world today.

Americas

Ripe mangoes are extremely popular throughout North and South America. In Mexico, sliced mango is eaten with chili powder and/or salt. Street vendors sometimes sell whole mangoes on a stick, dipped in the chili-salt mixture. In Guatemala, Ecuador and Honduras, small, green mangoes are popular; they have a sharp, brisk flavour like a Granny Smith apple. Vendors sell slices of peeled green mango on the streets of these countries, often served with salt. In Hawai'i it is common to pickle green mango slices.

Craft

In parts of India, tree bark was used to extract a light-coloured yellow dye which was used for cotton, silk and woolen fabrics. When the stems of the trees were beaten, the juice that ran from the bruised stems were collected. This juice could be mixed with turmeric and lime to produce a rose pink colour which was most commonly used on cottons.

Along with many wooden items, the timber from the trees are used to make furniture, boards, ceilings, boxes, tools and tea chests. If it is treated with a preservative, it can be used as a substitute for teak.

Research

Mangoes are used to find ways to improve mango and other tropical fruit crops. They are also used for research to help prevent pests from attacking fruit crops in tropical areas.

Medicinal uses

Mango is one of the most recommended fruits to fight beriberi and bronchial diseases. Mango is also an excellent depurative for the organism and it is recommended for nervous people, to fight insomnia, to heal brain fatigue, mental depression and as a laxative. It also has excellent results when used to eliminate kidney sand. A combination of mango and mango leaves can be made to heal molar ache, to affix weak teeth and to eliminate pyorrhoea. This combination is very helpful to reduce the throat inflamation when used for gargling.

Dried mango flowers serve as astringents in cases of diarrhea, chronic dysentery, catarrh of the bladder and chronic urethritis resulting from gonorrhea. The bark contains mangiferine and is astringent and used against rheumatism and diphtheria in India. The gum from the trunk is applied on cracks in the skin of the feet and on scabies, and is believed helpful in cases of syphilis.

Mango kernel decoction and powder are used as vermifuges and as astringents in diarrhea, hemorrhages and bleeding hemorrhoids. The fat is administered in cases of stomatitis. Extracts of unripe fruits and of bark, stems and leaves have shown antibiotic activity. In some of the islands of the Caribbean, the leaf decoction is taken as a remedy for diarrhea, fever, chest complaints, diabetes, hypertension and other illnesses. A combination of mango and other leaves is taken after childbirth.

Economy and trade

About half of all the tropical fruit produced worldwide are mangos. This is because there has been an increasing demand for mangos throughout the world. India accounts for almost half of the worlds production of mangos, followed by China, Mexico and Thailand. One fact is that almost all of the mango producing countries are either developing or emerging countries. All large mango producing countries have the vast majority of their mangos consumed domestically.

Mexico and other Latin American countries are exporting the majority of their mangos to North America. The amount of mango exports from these countries in 1999 was approximately 326,000 tonnes which is almost half of all the world's mango exports. In the Middle East, Israel produces for the European Union and local markets. Mangos are imported in significant volumes by industrialised countries as well as by developing countries. Demand for mangos are rising in developed countries, as consumers become increasingly aware of this tropical fruit.

In recent years, mangos have become one of the most established fresh fruits in the global market. India is still by far the major producer of mangos in the world, although its relative share in the world production has been gradually declining. In the United States fruit eaters now regularly choose mangos over apricots, cherries and plums. World demand for mangos is increasing in temperate countries. The increase in mango production in non-traditional mango-producing areas has been notable and includes parts of Asia, west Africa, Australia, South America and Mexico. Most mango related trade takes place within short distances. Mexico, Haiti and Brazil account for the majority of North American imports. India and Pakistan are the suppliers to the western Asia market. Eastern Asian countries get most of their mangoes from the Philippines and Thailand. European buyers source mangoes from Africa, South America and Asia. Although Asia accounts for 75 percent of world production, its production dominance does not translate into international trade.

Although domestic consumption has grown dramatically in developed markets in Europe, the United States and eastern Asia, per capita consumption is still low. The European Union has witnessed some of the greatest growth in mango imports, which rose from 17 161 metric tonnes in 1985 to 52 800 metric tonnes in 1993. European acceptance of different cultivars of mango is greater, as there is a large demand from Asian immigrant groups. Phytosanitary restrictions, such as those in place in the United States to prevent importation of fruit flies, are also less stringent in the European Union.

Health benefits

The fruit flesh of a ripe mango contains about 15% sugar, up to 1% protein, and significant amounts of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants. These can include vitamins A, B and C. Mangos also contain an enzyme with properties that are similar to papain found in papayas. These proteolytic enzymes break down proteins and are effective meat tenderizers that are regularly used in tropical countries where mangoes are grown. The enzyme list contains magneferin, katechol oxidase, and lactase. Studies have shown that foods containing phenolic compounds have powerful antioxidant, anticancer, and anticardiovascular abilities. Mangoes possess the phenols quercetin, isoquercitin, astragalin, fisetin, gallic acid, and methylgallat.

Because of the mangos' high iron content they are suggested for treatment of anemia and are beneficial to women during pregnancy and menstruation. People who suffer from muscle cramps, stress, and heart problems can benefit from the high potassium and magnesium content that also helps those with acidosis. It is also reputed that mangos soothe the intestines, which makes them easy to digest. In India, where mangoes are the national fruit, they are thought to help stop bleeding, to strengthen the heart, and to benefit the brain.