The mango fruit is a member of the drupe family, which includes fruiting plants with seeds encased in natural shells, including the genus “mangnifera.” Dates, olives, and coconuts are further plants of this genus.
Kenyan mangoes are among the best in the world, making Kenya an important supplier of sweet and nutritious mangoes to the top mango markets worldwide. Mangos are the fruit that people consume the most worldwide, did you know that? This bright yellow, succulent fruit has a good scent and flavour, and it has been a staple of many people’s daily diets for many years.
The mango seed, particularly the Kenya mango, claims to have originated in Southern Asia some 4 millennia ago. It’s interesting to note that the word may or may not have some etymological ties to Akbar the Great, a legendary Mongol ruler who established the first orchard in history with over 100,000 mango trees. It was inevitable that the seed would have its fortunate spread into the Far East, Europe, Kenya, and other areas of the world because tourists from China came to visit the Mongolian.
The Kenyan mango can be traced back to Southern Asia, 4000 years ago. It is thought that the first farmer to plant an orchard with more than 100,000 mango trees was the famous Mongol ruler Akbar the Great. The plant was subsequently widely disseminated by Chinese visitors to this Indian leader in China, Europe, Kenya, and the rest of the world. The Kenya mango has travelled along this path throughout history to reach the regions with the finest soil, climate, and population.
Local Mango Names in Kenya
English (Mango), Kamba (Maembe), Kikuyu (Mwiembe), Kisii (Rieembe), Luhya (Liermbe), Luo (Maembe), Somali (Amba), Swahili (Mwembe), Tharaka (Mwembe).
Description/Taste
Mangoes come in a wide range of sizes, ranging in length from 5 to 30 cm and weight from 0.11 kg to 2.26 kg. They might be long and slender, kidney-shaped, or even somewhat spherical, and they have leathery, smooth skin. Depending on the species, its skin has a variety of shades of red, yellow, and green. The luscious, aromatic flesh has a texture akin to peach and is a vivid yellow to orange colour. Complex and sweet, with hints of peach, coconut, vanilla, and caramel, the flavour is occasionally countered by a faint acidity. Mango skin is not edible and rather includes a sap that some people find irritating.
Kwale, Tana River, Taita Taveta, Murang’a, Elgeyo Marakwet, Lamu, Kilifi, Machakos, Garissa, Makueni, Kitui, Embu, Tharaka Nithi, and Meru are some of the counties that produce mangoes.
Some of the Kenya mango varieties include:
• Apple Mangos
They are round, medium- to large-sized fruits that are a bright golden or orange colour when ripe. without fibres, smooth smoothness. Very nice!
• Kent mangos
The Kent mangoes have a sweet, delectable flavour that is accentuated by their luscious flesh, which contains few fibres. Kent mangos are perfect for baking (they make a fantastic mango bread recipe!) and juicing because of their texture and flavour. Dark green Kent mangoes have a dark crimson blush on a small section of the fruit. The fruit itself has an enormous, round form.
• Tommy Atkins mangos
They feature hard, stringy, and fibrous flesh with a moderately sweet flavour. On their medium to big oval bodies, Tommy Atkins has a range of hues. The dark crimson blush that covers the majority of the fruit is the most noticeable of all.
• Francis Mangos
Francis tastes sweet and hot. Despite having fibres, the flesh is exceptionally tender and delicious. Francis has an extended and sigmoid S-shape and a bright yellow tint with green undertones. Francis’ fibrous flesh makes it an unpopular choice for salads, but its tangy flavour makes it a terrific addition to chutneys.
• Glenn Mangos
Out of all the mango kinds, Glenn is a great pick. Mango fans enjoy it for its sweet, smooth, and fruity flavour as well as its distinctive aroma. Glenn mangoes are oval to oblong in form and a touch crimson or pink in tint.
• Madame Francique Mangos
Due to their extensive use in desserts, they are also known as “Dessert Mango.” This species comes in a variety of hues, including light green, orange, and somewhat yellow. Madame Francique is renowned for its rich, sweet, peppery, tangy, and particularly dazzling flavour.
• Ataulfo Mangos
All mango lovers agree that the brilliant yellow Ataulfo, with its sweet and creamy flavour, is their favourite. Ataulfo is easier to use in salads or simply eat on its own because it has smooth, solid meat without any fibres. This mango variety has a tiny, oval shape.
• Valencia Pride Mangos
The Valencia Pride is a young variety that comes from Haden mangoes and has Floridan ancestry. Valencia Pride fruit was reportedly first cultivated in 1941. This kind comes in a wide range, and the skin is covered in a noticeable red blush with some yellow undertones. Valencia Pride is a fibreless cultivar that is a premium option due to its smooth, melting, juicy texture and delectable aroma.
• Keitt Mangos
It is used as pickles while not entirely matured as well as when fully ripe and green. Keitt mangoes have a pleasant, fruity flavour, and their solid, luscious flesh has few fibres. Dark to medium green Keitt mangoes can have a pink flush on a small section of the fruit. The Keitt mangoes have an enormous, oval shape.
• Ngowe Mangos
This common coastal variety, commonly known as the Lamu mango, is currently grown all along the coastline and has made a good adjustment to areas with moderate altitudes. Of the local mango fruits, Ngowe is the most recognizable. It has a very pronounced hook-like beak at the apex and is big, oblong, and slender. When the fruit is ripe, it changes from light green to a very appealing yellow or orange colour. The rich yellow meat is of exceptional quality, almost fibre-free, melting, and turpentine-free.
Mango Propagation
Poly-embryonic kinds typically reproduce via seeds, which is the usual technique in the tropics. Mono-embryonic varieties must be grafted onto seedling rootstocks using virtually any mango seed because they do not germinate from seed.
The seed should be freed of the fibrous stone or pit. A concave edge down and around 1 inch deep in any high-quality potting soil is how the seed should be placed. Two to three weeks may pass between germination and the time it takes to grow graftable seedlings with a quarter-inch diameter.
The most effective techniques for propagation are chip budding and veneer or side veneer grafting. The majority of propagation takes place in the winter using rootstocks that were grown from the summer’s output. Additionally, cleft grafting is used.
Young Tree Establishment
Trees that have just been planted need to be watered twice or three times in the first week, then just once or twice a week for a few weeks. Simply pour water into the basin, then wait for it to absorb. Over four to six months, the water ring will progressively erode, at which point the tree will be regarded as established.
Apply fertilizer weekly through September, delaying it until after planting when new growth starts. After spreading the fertilizer on the ground beneath the tree, properly water the area right away. Use one-half cup of ammonium sulfate (21-0-0) per month for the first year, one cup per month for the second, and two cups per month for the third. Set the rate appropriately for any additional fertilizer analyses.
Around the young mango tree, remove all lawn grass and weeds for a few feet because the tree cannot compete for water and nutrients until it is much larger. Expand the area free of grass beyond the canopy as the tree develops. Mango plants benefit greatly from organic mulch.
Only the removal of the deadwood should necessitate pruning or training.
Protection against winter frost is crucial. The young tree stem is well protected by soil banks, which should be erected in early December and taken down in early March. Just before a projected cold spell, young trees can also be covered with a blanket or other similar covering; draw the edges outward and secure them to the ground. The cover does not have to touch the ground.
The cover does not have to touch the ground. Under the tent-covered tree, any additional, useful heat source will likely keep even the foliage alive. Good heat sources include camp lanterns, electric heaters, incandescent lights, and stoves.
Planting
Mangoes need deep soils with an 8–10 m spacing and a depth of between 1 and 0.5 m cubics. Mix a debe of manure with a compound fertilizer, particularly NPK mixed with Humi-power, a soil conditioner, at a ratio of 1KG:50KG fertilizer when preparing the hole.
Mature Tree Care
Cultural norms aim to preserve healthy development and output. The three main techniques in mature mango tree care are irrigation, nourishment, and weed and grass management.
The same irrigation technique as for other mature fruit and nut trees is used here: water gently, deeply, and completely. Based on the type of soil and the current weather, repeat as necessary. In the summer, weekly soaks are more than plenty.
Utilizing 21-0-0, fertilization should be done annually at a rate of one to two cups per inch of trunk diameter, applied equally in February, May, and August. After evenly dispersing the fertilizer across the soil’s surface under the tree, irrigate the area well.
Controlling weeds and grass around the tree is a good idea to lessen competition, and it is simple to manage by using organic mulch that is replaced as needed.
Only dead or damaged branches need to be pruned, and these will appear after significant freezes unless excellent cold protection techniques are used. Then, until the degree of freezing damage can be determined, pruning should be postponed.
Production and Maturity
Grafted trees will start to bear fruit in the third year after planting, and mature trees can yield three to five bushels.
The mango fruit matures quickly since it only takes 100 to 150 days, depending on the type, from blossoming to maturity. The best-grade mangoes will ripen on the tree. Mangoes can be plucked at colour break and cooked to ripen them. The colour break, which typically occurs on the fruit’s blossom end, is the transition from pure green to yellow. The transition of the flesh surrounding the seed from white to yellow is another sign of maturity.
PESTS AND DISEASES
More than 50% of mango fruits are lost due to fruit flies (ceratitis spp.). Fruits are covered in eggs laid by females, which are then eaten by maggots, causing the fruit to decay and fall off. Lexus at 8ls/20 liters or Profile 440 EC 30ml + Integra 3ml. This is the ideal fly control.
• Mango seed weevil
Transporting infected fruits spreads the mango seed weevil, which grows inside mango seeds. The fruits’ ability to be exported is harmed by this. King code Elite (10ml/20lts) or Presento (10g/20lts) should be used to manage it from the onset of the flower bud.
• Scales, mealybugs
These pests can be identified by evident honeydew or sooty mould, which invites ant invasion and degrades the quality of fruits by interfering with their colour and skin texture. With Ranger, several pesticides are applied at a rate of 40 ml/20 litres. Other options include Emerald 20ml/20 litres or Sinophate 20g/20 litres.
• Gall midge
These are insect pests that appear as galls on the surface of leaves; these galls interfere with the capacity of leaves to photosynthesize, causing defoliation, leaf chlorosis, and twig dieback.
To ensure a pest-free plant during flowering, spray Kingcode Elite at 10ml/20 litres of water preferable after harvest and during trimming.
Presento at 10g/20 litres, Ranger at 30 ml/20 litres, or Profile 440 EC at 30 ml/20 litres are all available from Green Life.
• Powdery mildew
This is a fungus infection that causes defoliation by attacking leaves, buds, flowers, and immature fruits. Humidity encourages the spread, and diseased regions are covered with a whitish powdery growth.
From the beginning of flowers until the flower set, it can be best controlled by spraying 3–5 times at intervals of 10 days. 10 ml/20 litres is the best control.
• Anthracnose
this preys on the twigs, leaves, and fruits. Infected Flowers wilt and die, and spots on the fruit develop into black patches. The ideal time to spray for anthracnose control is after the formation of flower buds, with a repeat application of Ransom 15 g/20 litres + Integra 3 ml/20 litres.
Mango Benefits
For instance, the fibres found in mangoes are essential for aiding in digestion and, more specifically, for reducing constipation. Kenyan mangos also contain calories, lipids, vitamins, and potassium that support a variety of bodily metabolic processes.
Leukaemia, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colon cancer are all prevented by the antioxidant polyphenolic chemicals found in mangoes. Coenzymes made of copper are present in them. These are crucial for improving the functionality of red blood cells, which transport oxygen throughout the body. Esters and other enzymes aid in ensuring normal digestion. Mangoes include tartaric, malic, and citric acids, which help to keep the body’s cells alkaline. Mangoes also have plenty of vitamin A, which supports healthy eye health, and vitamin E, which controls sex hormones. Collagens are strong substances found in mangoes that are essential for maintaining healthy, radiant skin. Mango products are used to treat skin acne because of this.
Mango Market
In Kenya, the current mango season won’t end until March. The Apple Mango type makes up about 95% of the mangos produced in Kenya. The juicy, sweet Apple Mango is best enjoyed when it is still in its natural state. The Kent, Tommy Atkins, and Van Dyke types are typically used as ingredients in salads, desserts, and other dishes, whereas the other Kenyan cultivars, such as the Ngowe variety, are primarily supplied to juice processors.
Additionally, Kenyan exporters anticipate an increase in mango exports over the next two years, primarily as a result of assistance from the regional government and the International Trade Center (ITC). The ITC helps market the Kenyan Apple Mango and offers subsidies to Kenyan farmers so they can attend trade shows.