It’s the national fruit’s season! 

As a strategy to help boost the mango industry in the country, Prof. Eugine Ramos of the College of Agriculture, Food, and Sustainable Development (CAFSD) shared the mango production technology of the University in a virtual forum.

The sharing was broadcast through the FB Page of Amia Mango this February 6 as part of the Gabay sa Pagmamangga Series. To dates, the sharing has reached some 354 views from mango growers and MSMEs throughout the country.

Prof. Ramos shared MMSU’s mango accessions and production practices, digging deep the best practices employed by the University. At a glance, various mango varieties form part of the campus landscape while serving as an income-generating project.

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is the third most important fruit crop next to banana and pineapple. In the Ilocos Region, Ilocos Norte is the second largest producer next to Pangasinan. In support to this industry of the region, the MMSU sustains its efforts to boost the production and enrich the mango varieties in the province through the MMSU Fruit Crop Nursery and Pomology.

Mango Production in the Country and 

Philippines is the 7^th biggest mango producing country in the world. Carabao mango is considered the best mango variety in the world because of its properties as well as the high demand in the market both local and international.

Based on the Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA), the total production of mango reached 737.92 MT in 2019. The Ilocos Region recorded the highest share of 178.54 MT or approximately 24% share to the total production, followed by Region VII with 80.15 MT; Region IX with 77.01 MT; Region XII with 59.99 MT and Region VI with 54.01 MT.

MMSU’s accessions and varieties 

MMSU is one of the institutions which produce one of the sweetest variety of carabao mango, the MMSU Gold variety. It was developed and registered by MMSU. MMSU Gold is one of the sweetest varieties of carabao mango and one with the highest demand in the market.

As of 2017, the MMSU is home to 14 approved strains of carabao mango varieties based on National Seed Industry Council. These are GES 73, GES 77, GES 84, GES 85, MMSU Gold, Sweet Elena, Fresco, Talaban, Guimaras Super (Galila), Elfondo, Lamao #1, Tanaleon, JTA Mango Sweet and P1 King Rodolfo. There is also one NSIC Pico variety named ‘BPI Golden Rico) and two NSIC approved red mango varieties: Prima and Corcino.

Production Challenges and Practices 

Production of the different accessions of mango in the province is beset with different problems such as aberrant climatic changes, prevalence of pests and diseases; poor cultural management, depletion of nutrients, high cost of production, and post-production inputs.

In establishing new mango plantations, the University recommends the use of 10 X 10 planting distance. This spacing maximizes tree population and allows sufficient sunlight and airflow for aeration to prevent buildup of pest and diseases.

One major concern in the mango industry is the prevalence of pests and diseases such as the cecid fly, fruit fly, hoppers, mango anthracnose, and sooty mold. Of these, the cecid fly, also known as ‘kurikong’ or ‘nora nora’, is the most damaging and prevalent. Two types of cecid fly are present in mango: one attacks the fruits (Procontarinia frugivora Gagne) and the other on the leaves (Procontarina pustulata). Infestation starts as early as at 32 days after flower initiation (DAFI) and could occur up to 75 DAFI.

To manage infestation, various ways may be implemented to intervene, if not break, the life cycle of this pest. Prune crowded branches and infested leaves particularly flushes. Remove weeds, underbrush shrubs, and small trees under mango canopy. Collect and dispose the infested fruits properly. Monitor damage as early as 32 DAFI and spray insecticide when necessary. Practice insecticide resistance management (IRM) by alternating insecticides with different mods of action (MOA). Dispose fallen fruits by burning or digging into a minimum of 50 cm deep.

These strategies should also be coupled by good cultural management practices including sanitation, pruning of parasitic branches, fertilization and irrigation, planning distance, and continuous application of flower inducer.

In the University, the MMSU Gold mango variety as well as other accessions of mango in the University are regularly applied with fertilizers both organic and inorganic, such as fermented fruit juice and plant juice, organic foliar fertilizer, complete fertilizer, nitrogen, and potassium.

For pest and disease management, the University employs simple and environmentally friendly methods such as orchard sanitation, integrated pest management tactics, and biopesticides. The MMSU Research Directorate has developed the MMSU Bio In 8, a promising and effective biopesticide on the different pest of mango based on series of field trials.

The University monitors its mango trees and fruits to obtain quality fruits at the right maturity. Care is also intensively practiced to reduced production losses. For marketing, the Marketing Center of the University serves as the distributing arm for income generation. And for processing, the Food Processing and Innovation Center (FPIC) processes surpluses for varieties food for green mango processing and ripe mango processing. Processed mango products include dried mango, puree, jam, and mango candy.

Damaged mangoes from the harvesting and post-harvesting stages are repurposed into natural farm inputs such as fermented fruit juice (FFJ) which can be used in the next cycle of mango production.

MMSU Mango Accessions 

Various MMSU accessions and varieties are planted in and out of the campus. In the University, mango trees parade the path walks and grounds. And off campus, mango orchards can be located in the Lubbot Experimental Farm and the Payao Area.

Some 350- 400 trees of the MMSU Gold variety are maintained in these locations, aging around 6-10 and 11-20 years old. With the Fruit Crop Nursery and Pomology, the University propagates through own propagates, grafts, and purchases.

Some mango accessions in the University are the Prima mango, named after Dr. Prima Fe. Franco; Nandoc-mai Mango, a Thailand accession that is sweet and juicy intended for green mango consumption; Corcino mango, a reddish mango with a blend of sweet and sour; Eating green mango, an extremely sweet variety with fruits that can weigh up to 1 kg; Mapolijo mango, an aromatic mango accession with fruits that can weigh up to ½ kg; the Sufaida mango, Indian mango, Hawaiian mango, Sweet Elena mango, Choconan Mango, and Pahotan Mango.

Full discussion on the mango production can be accessed at https://www.facebook.com/100067828380039/videos/1045735512649714/.

AANI Mango Industry Association (AMIA) is an organization by the Agri-Aqua Network International, Inc. (AANI) that conducts free seminars, farm tours, and weekend markets that promote organic and resilient farming systems and support small and medium enterprises in the agricultural sector.

For years, the University supports various activities conducted by AMIA to boost the mango industry of the country. MMSU is a perennial participant in the trade fairs and exhibits organized to showcase its mango cultivars. In 2017, the University showcased fruits of the nine outstanding mango cultivars it produced including the MMSU Gold (NSIC 1997 Mn 01), Corsino (NSIC 2005 Mn 08), Prima (NSIC 2005 Mn 04), Sufaida, Haden, Nandoc-mai, Mapuliho, Katchamita, and Pahutan.

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