Sunday, February 18, 2001		Garden Life

Grow mouth-watering Mangoes
By Satish Narula

MANGO is often a favourite with the gardeners. Those who can have more area for gardening, go in for various varieties like Dasehri, Langra, Chausa and even Baramasi. In addition at the Gangian, Regional Fruit Research Station of Punjab Agricultural University, there are many varieties which are meant to be sucked.

Mango, which bears excellent fruit in this region has, however, earned a bad name for itself as it fails to bear normal crop year after year. Natural calamities like hail storms, strong winds, natural fruit drop and malformation disease have defied a solution for years but a failure at the first stage —fruit setting stage — can be checked effectively.

Malformation is identified by the appearance of swelling at the base of the leaf and the presence of small clustered leafy shoots. Malformation in bearing trees is identified by a thickening of floral shoots that also have numerous branches. In both cases the bunches seem to be a confused mass of vegetation. An easy way out is to remove the affected shoots every month and destroy them. This is essential as the old hanging malformed shoots are carriers of diseases and insects.

Nature has its own ways of giving food and protection. The mango hopper nymphs that suck sap from flowers appear at the same time as flowers. As they suck sap in thousands from tender leaves and flowering shoots, they become sticky. The tree looks as if it has been sprayed with gum. As a result, young fruits and dried flowering shoots fall to the ground.

Another important and serious problem is powdery mildew disease. It also appears at the same time. Flowering parts and bunches have a white powdery mass on them which turns the bunch brown and then black as the disease advances. Flowering shoot starts dying, flowers and newly set fruit drop and what is left behind is a naked twig.

The above-mentioned problems cause almost 100 per cent failure in mango. Do you want to check on this statement? Follow the following measures and see for yourself.

In case there is good flowering, there is no reason why the mango should not bear a full crop. Natural calamities are beyond one’s control but the insect and other diseases can be dealt with effectively. At the end of February and end of March you must spray Thiodan 35 EC (endosulfan) in a ratio of one and a half millilitre to a litre of water. Do not worry, this will not harm your blooms. The other malady, that is powdery mildew fungal disease, can also be effectively controlled by spraying Karathane in a ratio of one millilitre to a litre of water before and during flowering and after fruit formation. Another spray can be given if need be. Both Thiodan and Karathane can be sprayed together. But make sure you reach each and every part of the tree as these sprays are effective only on contact. The unsprayed portions may not show any results. Also as the disease and insect spread easily, advise your neighbour too to take plant protection measures.

This feature was published on February 11, 2001