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Mangifera indica
Species of flowering plant in the cashew family Anacardiaceae

Mangifera indica, commonly known as mango, is an evergreen species of flowering plant in the family Anacardiaceae. It is a large fruit tree, capable of growing to a height and width of 30 m (100 ft). There are two distinct genetic populations in modern mangoes – the "Indian type" and the "Southeast Asian type".

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Description

Mangifera indica is a large green tree, valued mainly for its fruits, both green and ripe.5 Approximately 500-1000 varieties have been identified, named, or reported, primarily in India.6 It can grow up to 15–30 metres (50–100 feet) tall7 with a similar crown width and a trunk circumference of more than 3.7 m (12 ft).89 The leaves are simple, shiny and dark green.10 The trees take 2-4 years from planting time to first harvest, and can have a productive life of over 50 years.11

Yellow-white fragrant flowers appear at the end of winter through the beginning of spring, varying with location. Both male and female flowers are borne on the same tree.12 Climatic conditions have a significant influence on the time of flowering.13 In South Asia, flowering starts in December in the south, in January in Bengal, in February in eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, and in February–March in northern India. The duration of flowering is 20–25 days for the Dasheri variety, while panicle emergence occurs in early December and flower opening is completed by February. The Neelum variety produces two crops a year in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, but it flowers only once in North Indian conditions.14

The mango is an irregular, egg-shaped fruit which is a fleshy drupe.15 Mangos are typically 8–12 centimetres (3–5 inches) long and greenish yellow in color. The fruits can be round, oval, heart, or kidney shaped.16 Mango fruits are green when they are unripe.17 The interior flesh is bright orange and soft with a large, flat pit in the middle.18 Mangos are mature in April and May. Raw mangos can be used in the making of pickles and chutneys.19 Ripe mangos are a popular fruit throughout the world. The skin and pulp account for 85% of the mango's weight, and the remaining 15% comes from the stone (seed).20

Chemistry

Mangiferin (a pharmacologically active hydroxylated xanthone C-glycoside) is extracted from mango at high concentrations from the young leaves (172 g/kg), bark (107 g/kg), and from old leaves (94 g/kg).21 Allergenic urushiols are present in the fruit peel.22

Taxonomy

Mangoes are believed to have originated from the region between northwestern Myanmar, Bangladesh, eastern and northeastern India. M. indica were domesticated separately in South Asia and Southeast Asia over centuries, resulting in two distinct genetic populations in modern mangoes – the "Indian type" and the "Southeast Asian type".232425

The species was first described by Linnaeus in 1753.26

Distribution and habitat

Since their domestication in southeastern Asia, mangoes have been introduced to other warm regions of the world.272829 Generally, mango trees can withstand a minimum temperature of 17 °F (−8 °C).30

The tree grows best in well-drained sandy loam; it does not grow well in heavy wet soils. The optimal pH of the soil should be between 5.2 and 7.5.31

Cultivation

Main article: List of mango cultivars

Toxicity

Urushiols in the fruit peel can trigger contact dermatitis in sensitised individuals.32 This reaction is more likely to occur in people who have been exposed to other plants from the family Anacardiaceae, such as poison oak and poison ivy, which are widespread in the United States.33

The wood is known to produce phenolic substances that can cause contact dermatitis.34

Uses

Main article: Mango

The tree is more known for its fruit rather than for its timber. However, mango trees can be converted to lumber once their fruit-bearing lifespan has finished. The wood is susceptible to damage from fungi and insects.35 The wood is used for musical instruments such as ukuleles,36 plywood and low-cost furniture.37

The bark is used to produce a yellow dye.38

Culture

The mango is the national fruit of India, Pakistan, and the Philippines, and is the national tree of Bangladesh.39

Further reading

  • Litz, Richard E. (ed. 2009). The Mango: Botany, Production and Uses (2nd edition). CABI. ISBN 978-1-84593-489-7.
  • Media related to Mangifera indica at Wikimedia Commons
  • Data related to Mangifera indica at Wikispecies
  • Mango at the Wikibooks Cookbook subproject
  • Crop of the Day: Mango, Mangifera indica has a list of helpful resources about this species.

References

  1. "Agroforestree Species profile". apps.worldagroforestry.org. Retrieved 2024-09-04. https://apps.worldagroforestry.org/treedb2/speciesprofile.php?Spid=1112 ↩

  2. Morton, Julia F. (1987). "Mango (Mangifera indica L.)". In: Fruits of Warm Climates; New Crop Resource Online Program, Center for New Crops and Plant Products, Purdue University. pp. 221–239. Retrieved 24 December 2021. https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/mango_ars.html ↩

  3. "Mango". reNature. Archived from the original on 24 July 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240724041419/https://www.renature.co/commodities/mango-2 ↩

  4. Liang, Q.; Pan, H.; He, X.; Wang, S.; Hou, Y.; Xiao, H.; Xu, G.; Yi, R.; Lin, D.; Yang, Z. (2024). "Population structure and genetic diversity of mango (Mangifera indica L.) germplasm resources as revealed by single-nucleotide polymorphism markers". Frontiers in Plant Science. 15: 1328126. doi:10.3389/fpls.2024.1328126. PMC 11251951. PMID 39022611. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11251951 ↩

  5. Morton, Julia F. (1987). "Mango (Mangifera indica L.)". In: Fruits of Warm Climates; New Crop Resource Online Program, Center for New Crops and Plant Products, Purdue University. pp. 221–239. Retrieved 24 December 2021. https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/mango_ars.html ↩

  6. Morton, Julia F. (1987). "Mango (Mangifera indica L.)". In: Fruits of Warm Climates; New Crop Resource Online Program, Center for New Crops and Plant Products, Purdue University. pp. 221–239. Retrieved 24 December 2021. https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/mango_ars.html ↩

  7. Flowers of India http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Mango.html ↩

  8. Morton, Julia F. (1987). "Mango (Mangifera indica L.)". In: Fruits of Warm Climates; New Crop Resource Online Program, Center for New Crops and Plant Products, Purdue University. pp. 221–239. Retrieved 24 December 2021. https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/mango_ars.html ↩

  9. "USDA Plant guide, Mangifera indica L." (PDF). USDA, NRCS. 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 April 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210426072424/https://plants.usda.gov/plantguide/pdf/cs_main3.pdf ↩

  10. The Complete Guide to Edible Wild Plants. United States Department of the Army. New York: Skyhorse Publishing. 2009. p. 66. ISBN 978-1-60239-692-0. OCLC 277203364.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link) 978-1-60239-692-0 ↩

  11. Davison, Julian, ed. (1995). Fruit of Indonesia. Jakarta: PT Mekar Unggul Sari. p. 47. ISBN 981-3018-11-9. 981-3018-11-9 ↩

  12. Morton, Julia F. (1987). "Mango (Mangifera indica L.)". In: Fruits of Warm Climates; New Crop Resource Online Program, Center for New Crops and Plant Products, Purdue University. pp. 221–239. Retrieved 24 December 2021. https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/mango_ars.html ↩

  13. Morton, Julia F. (1987). "Mango (Mangifera indica L.)". In: Fruits of Warm Climates; New Crop Resource Online Program, Center for New Crops and Plant Products, Purdue University. pp. 221–239. Retrieved 24 December 2021. https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/mango_ars.html ↩

  14. Flowering of mango http://mango-trees.blogspot.in/2009/05/flowering-of-mango.html ↩

  15. Morton, Julia F. (1987). "Mango (Mangifera indica L.)". In: Fruits of Warm Climates; New Crop Resource Online Program, Center for New Crops and Plant Products, Purdue University. pp. 221–239. Retrieved 24 December 2021. https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/mango_ars.html ↩

  16. Morton, Julia F. (1987). "Mango (Mangifera indica L.)". In: Fruits of Warm Climates; New Crop Resource Online Program, Center for New Crops and Plant Products, Purdue University. pp. 221–239. Retrieved 24 December 2021. https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/mango_ars.html ↩

  17. Morton, Julia F. (1987). "Mango (Mangifera indica L.)". In: Fruits of Warm Climates; New Crop Resource Online Program, Center for New Crops and Plant Products, Purdue University. pp. 221–239. Retrieved 24 December 2021. https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/mango_ars.html ↩

  18. Morton, Julia F. (1987). "Mango (Mangifera indica L.)". In: Fruits of Warm Climates; New Crop Resource Online Program, Center for New Crops and Plant Products, Purdue University. pp. 221–239. Retrieved 24 December 2021. https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/mango_ars.html ↩

  19. Khaleeli, Homa (2013-10-22). "A global guide to pickles". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-03-21. https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2013/oct/22/guide-pickles-kimchi-achar-torshi-recipe ↩

  20. SEA Hand Book 2009, Solvent Extractors' Association Of India http://www.seaofindia.com/publcations ↩

  21. Barreto J.C.; Trevisan M.T.S.; Hull W.E.; Erben G.; De Brito E.S.; Pfundstein B.; Würtele G.; Spiegelhalder B.; Owen R.W. (2008). "Characterization and quantitation of polyphenolic compounds in bark, kernel, leaves, and peel of mango (Mangifera indica L.)". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 56 (14): 5599–5610. Bibcode:2008JAFC...56.5599B. doi:10.1021/jf800738r. PMID 18558692. /wiki/Bibcode_(identifier) ↩

  22. Urushiol CASRN: 53237-59-5 TOXNET (Toxicology Data Network) NLM (NIH). Retrieved 22 January 2014. http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/a?dbs+hsdb:@term+@DOCNO+7485 ↩

  23. Morton, Julia F. (1987). "Mango (Mangifera indica L.)". In: Fruits of Warm Climates; New Crop Resource Online Program, Center for New Crops and Plant Products, Purdue University. pp. 221–239. Retrieved 24 December 2021. https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/mango_ars.html ↩

  24. Kuhn, David N.; Bally, Ian S. E.; Dillon, Natalie L.; Innes, David; Groh, Amy M.; Rahaman, Jordon; Ophir, Ron; Cohen, Yuval; Sherman, Amir (20 April 2017). "Genetic Map of Mango: A Tool for Mango Breeding". Frontiers in Plant Science. 8: 577. doi:10.3389/fpls.2017.00577. PMC 5397511. PMID 28473837. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5397511 ↩

  25. Warschefsky, Emily J.; Wettberg, Eric J. B. (June 2019). "Population genomic analysis of mango (Mangifera indica) suggests a complex history of domestication". New Phytologist. 222 (4): 2023–2037. Bibcode:2019NewPh.222.2023W. doi:10.1111/nph.15731. PMID 30730057. https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fnph.15731 ↩

  26. "Mangifera indica". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved October 8, 2009. https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxonomydetail.aspx?id=23351 ↩

  27. Morton, Julia F. (1987). "Mango (Mangifera indica L.)". In: Fruits of Warm Climates; New Crop Resource Online Program, Center for New Crops and Plant Products, Purdue University. pp. 221–239. Retrieved 24 December 2021. https://hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/mango_ars.html ↩

  28. Kuhn, David N.; Bally, Ian S. E.; Dillon, Natalie L.; Innes, David; Groh, Amy M.; Rahaman, Jordon; Ophir, Ron; Cohen, Yuval; Sherman, Amir (20 April 2017). "Genetic Map of Mango: A Tool for Mango Breeding". Frontiers in Plant Science. 8: 577. doi:10.3389/fpls.2017.00577. PMC 5397511. PMID 28473837. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5397511 ↩

  29. Warschefsky, Emily J.; Wettberg, Eric J. B. (June 2019). "Population genomic analysis of mango (Mangifera indica) suggests a complex history of domestication". New Phytologist. 222 (4): 2023–2037. Bibcode:2019NewPh.222.2023W. doi:10.1111/nph.15731. PMID 30730057. https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fnph.15731 ↩

  30. NRCS. "Mangifera indica". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 7 August 2024. /wiki/Natural_Resources_Conservation_Service ↩

  31. Flowers of India http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Mango.html ↩

  32. Urushiol CASRN: 53237-59-5 TOXNET (Toxicology Data Network) NLM (NIH). Retrieved 22 January 2014. http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/a?dbs+hsdb:@term+@DOCNO+7485 ↩

  33. Urushiol CASRN: 53237-59-5 TOXNET (Toxicology Data Network) NLM (NIH). Retrieved 22 January 2014. http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/a?dbs+hsdb:@term+@DOCNO+7485 ↩

  34. Tu, Anthony T. (1983). Handbook of natural toxins. New York: Dekker. p. 425. ISBN 0824718933. 0824718933 ↩

  35. "Mango". The Wood Database. Archived from the original on 11 January 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20150111123922/http://www.wood-database.com/lumber-identification/hardwoods/mango ↩

  36. "Mango". The Wood Database. Archived from the original on 11 January 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20150111123922/http://www.wood-database.com/lumber-identification/hardwoods/mango ↩

  37. "Economic importance of Mangifera indica". Green Clean Guide. Archived from the original on 7 February 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20150207140530/http://greencleanguide.com/2012/05/04/economic-importance-of-mangifera-indica/ ↩

  38. "Yellow dyes". asiantextilestudies.com. Retrieved 2024-06-08. http://www.asiantextilestudies.com/yellow.html ↩

  39. Com, Bdnews24 (15 November 2010). "Mango tree, national tree". Retrieved 16 November 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2010/11/15/mango-tree-national-tree ↩