MANGO PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT

Compiled by: Tupas, Renaldy L. (June, 2023)

Highlights (PSA, 2023)

• Mango production was estimated at 95.86
thousand metric tons.
• It increased 2% from the 94 thousand
metric tons output in 2022
• Carabao Mango was the most produced
variety with 78.70 thousand metric tons,
representing 82.1% of the total mango
production.
• Ilocos region was the top mango producer
with 43.83 thousand metric tons output or
45.7% share to the total production.
• Central Luzon and Western Visayas
followed with 30% and 6.1%, respectively.

Philippines Mango Industry

Philippines is blessed to have lands and climate that favor the cultivation of one of the best mango
varieties in the world which is the “Philippine Carabao Mango” and other indigenous and
introduced varieties, strains and selections. During the last several years, however, the volume of
production and yield of mango have significantly deteriorated. Furthermore, the volume of export-
quality fresh mangoes remains very low at less than 5 percent. This alarming situation, coupled
with increasing cost of production prompted many growers to abandon their mango orchards or
planted them to other crops or uses. There are many factors that contribute to this trend. Among
them are typhoon, rainfall, insect pests, diseases and inadequate orchard management. Another
single most important reason is the lack of strategic and long-term research and development
efforts leading to the development of innovative technology that can enhance competitiveness of
the mango industry in local and export markets.

Today, mango is the third most important fruit crop in the Philippines next to banana and pineapple.
Its importance does not only come from the export side. Mango is the Philippine national fruit,
loved by the Filipino people eaten as fresh, processed as flavorings to ice creams and pastries and
other delicacies. There are three well known variety of mango in the Philippines and these are
Carabao mango, Pico and Katchamita (also known as Indian Mango). However, Carabao is the
dominant variety that is widely grown throughout the country and is the sole exported variety.

Figure ___. Percentage distribution of Carabao Mango Producing Region,2017

Distribution of Mango per variety (left) and by Region (right) in the Philippines

Up to date, there are already 16 accredited nurseries according to the data from Bureau of Plant
Industry-National Seed Quality Control Service. These nurseries can be found in Regions II, IV-
A, IV-B, XI and XII.
NSIC Approved Mango Varieties
As of 2017, there are already 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), Efondo, Lamao #1, Tanaleon, JTA Sweet and P1 King
Rodolfo. There is also one NSIC Pico Variety named “BPI Golden Pico” and two NSIC approved
red mango varieties: Prima and Corsino. Among these varieties, Guimaras Super (Galila) has the
highest total soluble solids recorded (22.3° Brix). Total soluble solid is the measurement used to
determine the sweetness of fruits by determining the solid concentration of a sucrose containing
solution.
 Figure __. Mango Production by Region, January – March: 2023p (PSA, 2023)
Number of Accredited Nurseries
Farm Production Management Practices
As industry on the decline with all large commercial farms subdivided or converted into
resorts or other uses, most of the residual farms are now operated by contract sprayers, and most
trees are overexploited or abused. For all intent and purposes, the existing mango trees are typically
managed. In certain regions, there are program interventions to demonstrate how mango groves
can be made more productive.
Soil and Agro-climatic Requirement
Mangoes need a dry period of 3-5 months to induce maturity of its vegetative parts and flower.
Fruit development also needs plenty of sunlight up to 120-135 days after flower induction (DAFI).
Elevation within 600 meters from the sea level up to 800 meters is still tolerable. The ideal
temperature for mango growing is 21-27 °C.
Soils preferred are deep loamy, rich in organic matter, with balance content of macro and micro
nutrient elements. Soil pH of 6 to 7 is ideal for mango.
It is at this level that nutrients are available.
The land should be slightly sloping, well drained but
with good moisture holding capacity. Optimum
moisture or water supply for mango is very important.
Stiff mountainsides are also planted t mango, but with
difficulty in production management.
Mango needs plenty sunlight. Fully grown mango
trees should have enough sunlight from morning to
evening, at the top of its crown to the base of its trunk.
Shading even partially will limit its productivity.
Crowded branch and foliage reduce yield.
Moderate airflow or wind is needed by mango trees to
allow aeration to prevent the buildup of pest and
diseases within the tree crown. Avoid strong winds
especially during flowering and fruiting stage by
growing windbreaker trees.
Propagation of Mango
The inarching or approach grafting method is the best
way to propagate the plant. It is done by inserting the
shoot of a young mango plant to the stock (stem) of
a rooted mango, with their cambium tissues in close
contact with each other. They are then wrapped
securely in place and allowed to grow.
Plant grafted seedlings 14 meters apart. Mangoes
may be propagated from seeds but grafting is
preferred. Trees grown from seeds take a longer time
to bear fruit, grow excessively large and are difficult
to manage. If seeds are to be planted, it should be
done soon after removal from the fruits since they
lose their viability within a short time. To extend its
germinating power, the mango seeds should be kept
moist.
Before planting, the husk or endocarp of the seed
should be removed by cutting along one suture,
taking care not to injure the seed. The plumule or the
part of the seed where the shoot will grow must be
uppermost upon sowing.
Cultivation
The land should be thoroughly prepared during the dry season. The field is staked at 10 or 12
meters for a total of 100 or 70 grafted plants per hectare respectively (Namuco & Protacio, 2010).
Planting should end at the start of the rainy season. If the orchard is level or is gently rolling,
intercrop mango with other plants to derive added income. Vegetables and field crops like rice,
corn, mongo and others are common intercrops. On the other hand, when the orchard is hilly, cover
cropping may be done. Leguminous crops not only prevent soil erosion but also the growth of
weeds. Calapogonium and tropical kudzu are among the best cover crops in the country.
During the first dry season, the young trees should be watered as frequently as possible, mature
mango trees no longer need irrigation in subsequent dry seasons except after the blooming period
to enhance the next season’s yield. Pruning should also be done occasionally during the rainy
season.
Nutrient Management
Remove weeds within 45 cm to 2 meters radius from the base of the trunk, depending on the age
of tree as follows: 1-3 years – 20-45 cm radius, 4-10 years – 50-90cm radius; and 10-15 years –
100-200 cm radius.
Dig at least three shallow holes around the tree within the area covered by the canopy. Distribute
the recommended amount of fertilizer to the holes and cover with the soil.
Age of Trees Rate in Weight per Plant Formulation
On planting 100 g - 10 kg - 1 g 14-14-14, Organic fertilizer, trace Minerals
1 – 3 years old 200g – 300g – 10 kg Urea, 14-14-14, Organic Fertilizer
4 – 5 years old 300g – 500g – 15kg – 8g Urea, 14-14-14, Organic Fertilizer, Trace
Minerals
6 – 8 years old 1kg – 2kg – 500g – 15kg Urea, 14-14-14, Muriate of Potash, Organic
Fertilizer
9 – 15 years 2kg – 3kg – 1kg – 20kg – Urea, 14-14-14, Muriate of Potash, Organic
old 60g Fertilizer, Trace Minerals
16 years and Add 1kg yearly Mix formulations
older
Source: SMIARC (2004)
Flower Induction
Dormant flower buds can be induced to sprout by using compounds containing nitrate. However,
KNO3 or potassium nitrate should be confined only to the carabo, pico, and pahutan varieties. The
mango is ready for flowering forcing if it has prominent, well-developed buds and brittle, dark
green leaves.
Common brands of flower inducers available in
the market are Agriblum, Floer Set,
Mangobloom, Mangotone, Hormudge, Flower
Kem, Mangrow and Alcar. These flower
inducers break the mango’s habit of fruiting
every two years and make possible the yearly
production of mangoes. It also extends the
fruiting season for several months and makes
fresh mangoes available to consumers during
off-season. This is beneficial to growers since a
premium price is given for off-season mangoes.
Farmers are warned, however, of the overuse of
these chemical inducers since they have
reportedly caused the decline in mango yield.
Crop Protection Management
Integrated pest management (IPM) is the use of different practical, yet low-cost methods:
1. Cultural practices that include the right planting distance, periodic weeding and cultivation,
irrigation and drainage, pruning, spraying, etc. see to it that the water source is not
contaminated or carrier of pest and diseases.
2. The use of baits and insect traps (light traps, sweet juice tuba trap)
3. Spraying with herbal organic preparations with pest repellant, insecticide and fungicidal
properties.
4. The use of beneficial microorganisms that control pest and diseases.
5. The use of insect predators, parasites like trichogramma, bracnoids, and pirate bugs.
6. Crop-rotation or intercropping with plants that will repel or reduce infestation.
7. Schedule and time production during least pest infestation ad disease prevalence. There is
less insect pest and diseases during summer months.
8. Cultivate and fertilize the soil around the base of the trunk periodically with organic
fertilizer derived from herbs with pesticide and fungicidal properties as well as beneficial
microorganisms.
9. Removed diseased or infested fruits and vegetative parts of the tree and dispose of them
properly such as removing them from the field, burning, bury or composting them for
fertilizer. Practice clean culture.
10. Take note: when spraying trees herbal organic concentrate (HOC) start the soil surrounding
the trunk, upward around the trunk, branches then the underside of the leaves or foliage
and last the top of leaves and crown. Insect pest and diseases comes from the soil and stay
in trunk and branch where they hibernate and wait then wake or become active when new
growth appears such as flushing and flowering to fruiting.
Mango Pests and Diseases
There is a very high potential for export of fresh or processed carabao mangoes. But the
industry faces declining yield and quality attributed to pests and diseases, high post-harvest losses
and other factors that limit the performance of Philippine mango in the international market.
Currently, the major problem of mango growers is Cecid fly infestation, Mango Pulp Weevil (only
in Palawan) and Anthracnose. With the occurrence of destructive pests and diseases in mango like
the cecid fly, the Department of Agriculture coordinated with SUC’s and experts regarding the
conduct of a research study on the management and control of major mango pests and diseases.
Cecid Fly
Cecid fly also known as “kurikong or nora nora” is
a very small and delicate fly with long legs and
antennae, and hairy transparent wings. Two types of
Cecid fly is present in mango: one attacks the fruits
(Procontarinia frugivora Gagne) and the other on
leaves (Procontarinia pustulata). Cecid fly on
newly infested fruits are hard to recognize because
the damage appears as pin pricks with slight
discoloration and/or moderate galling and become
more distinct and darker as the fruit grows and
matures. Infestation starts as early as at 32 DAFI and
could recur up to 75 DAFI.
Management: Prune crowded branches and infested leaves, particularly flushes. Remove weeds,
underbrush shrubs and small trees under the 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 modes of
action (MOA). Dispose fallen fruits by burning or digging into a minimum of 50 cm. deep.
Prevention: Bag fruits at 40 days after flower induction or at marble size or spray registered
insecticides up to 55 days after flower induction. Bag fruits one to three days after insecticide
application.
Mango Pulp Weevil
The mango pulp weevil (Sternochetus frigicus) is a hard-bodied weevil, usually 6 mm long and
brownish black in color. Due to its color and habit, it cannot easily be seen in the tree. In the
Philippines, this insect is only found in Southern Palawan but because of its destructive nature, it
has placed the whole Palawan Island under quarantine through BPI Special Quarantine
Administrative Order No. 20 Series of 1987 which prohibits movement, transfer or carrying of
mango tree or any part of it that is capable of harboring MPW. Transfer of mango tree or any part
is allowed for experimental purposes only and limited quantity. The Island of Guimaras, on the
other hand, was declared as “Special Quarantine Zone” by President Ramos on December,1993 to
support mango production due to its high potential for export. The island is free from infestation
of pulp and seed weevil. The damage created by the weevil is not visible externally. But inside the
fruit, tunnels and discolored pulp are formed
due to larval feeding. An adult weevil does not
leave the fruit until it falls to the ground and
rots.
Management: Prune the tree, preferably
open-center pruning, to allow the sunlight to
penetrate the tree canopy. Sunlight kills
weevils. Keep the orchard clean. Remove all
weeds, twigs, fallen leaves and other debris
under the tree canopy. Dispose infected fruits
properly by burying the fruits two feet below
the ground. Bag the fruits at 55 to 60 DAFI.
Mango Anthracnose
Anthracnose is a major post-harvest problem
of mango fruits and is the most serious fungal
disease of mangoes in the Philippines. causes
irregular brown spots on young leaves while
mature leaves get distorted with “shotholes” in
various shapes and sizes. It also blackens and
withers the flowers and produces “blossom
blight” while causing brown to black sunken
spots on the fruits. Other damage caused by
anthracnose: reduced tree vigor; unproductive
terminal branches; withering of flowers;
failure to set and retain fruits; rotting of fruits
and total crop failure.
Field Management – Maintain good light penetration and air circulation in each mango tree.
Collect and burn trash to reduce sources of disease. Bag fruits using appropriate bagging materials
to reduce further field infestation. Fertilize and irrigate trees to improve tree vigor. When flushing
occurs on rainy days, protect emerging flushes from leaf spots by spraying registered contact
fungicides. Apply protectants/ systemic fungicides to protect inflorescence against blossom blight
and fruit rot infection on developing fruits.
Fruiting Management
Flower inducer was discovered by the award-winning scientist Dr. Ramon Barba in 1970. Flower
induction technique involves the use of potassium nitrate, calcium nitrate or sodium nitrate. Prior
to application of flower inducer, paclobutrazol (a growth inhibitor) is also used. This discovery
transforms the cultivation of mango from natural and season bearing to more precise production
technology that makes the mango available year-round. It revolutionized mango culture which was
dependent on heavy chemical inputs.
Fruit Wrapping and Bagging
Bagging of fruits is practiced in the
Philippines using recycled paper and pages
of telephone directories while others used
specially designed bags. Wrapping the
individual fruit with newspaper should be
done at about 53-60 days after induction or
just after natural thinning or dropping when
the mangoes are about the size of a pullet
egg.
Increasing market demand of natural
and organically grown mangoes which are
free from toxic chemical residues which makes the farmers rethink of their farming system
to meet market demands. In some areas, mangoes were planted for expansion but a lot of
trees were cut down for being unproductive due to wrong planting distance, use of
chemicals which damaged the good microorganisms and biodiversity of the soil. Because
of this, many mango farmers start to adopt natural, organic and biological farming systems.
(Rivera, MINMANGO Council, n.d)

Advantages of Fruit Bagging

 1. Reduced incidence of fruit fly and capsid bug damage, sunburn and fungal infections.
2. Reduced incidence of mechanical damage while the fruit still hung on the tree and during
harvesting and handling operations. It protects fruits from wind scars.
3. Paper serves as absorbent of latex flow during harvest.
4. Fruit skin is cleaner and more attractive light green color.
5. Provision of more or less an accurate estimate on the number of fruits per tree. This is
important in cases where marketing is done on the total volume and weight of harvest.

Harvesting Management
It is very important to keep in mind that the preservation of the superior quality fruit,
especially if it is intended for the fresh table use that is crucial during the harvest and post-harvest
period. Harvesting and handling of fruits should be entrusted only to properly trained, preferably
experienced workers. It is also advisable for beginners to first observe professional harvesters
during harvest operations.
The utmost care in harvesting and handling of mangoes should be emphasized. Workers and
harvesters should first be given a briefing before releasing them to the field. It takes a one-year
cycle of care and culture to bring the fruits ready to harvest. It takes less than a second to drop the
fruits does and break or bruise does.
Use the right harvesting poles with soft nets to avoid bruising. Use wooden or plastic harvesting
crates with clean soft padding. Avoid using banana leaves or other materials that may have fungal
diseases that will infect the fruits.

Post-harvest Management- Subject newly harvested fruits in hot water treatment.

 DOST-PCAARRD initiatives to address concerns on pests and diseases are dissemination
of IEC materials for integrated pest management (IPM) which are developed by UPLB, RMTU
and other SUCs. IPB-UPLB has been conducting studies on plant breeding of putative mango
hybrids with traits such as red blush and thick skin and resistance to pests and diseases.
Post-harvest Handling Techniques
Carabao mango is the third fruit exported of the Philippines but due to its fast rate of
ripening, markets are limited to the nearby countries such as Japan, Hong Kong and South Korea
while transports to distant markets make it very expensive and affects the price competitiveness of
the Philippine mango to the world market.
Hot Water Treatment. One of the important methods to maintain and enhance the quality
of mango is to subject it to hot water treatment (HWT) especially for exported produce. Mangoes
are placed into HWT at 52-55°C for 10-15 minutes to minimize the incidence of anthracnose
disease. For mangoes exported to China, extended hot water treatment was done by dipping it in
48°C water until pulp reaches 46°C for 10 minutes. Source: DOST-PCAARRD Crops Research
Division

Vapor Heat Treatment (VHT). This type of treatment is used in mangoes exported to
Japan, Australia, Korea, and also in United States. During the vapor heat treatment, mango pulp
temperatures reach 46°C for 10 minutes and performed in the presence of inspectors from
importing countries. (Lualhati and Rodeo, 2013)
 Irradiation. Some importing countries require disinfestation protocols such as United
States. Philippine Mangoes exported to the US are irradiated at 150 Gy and 350 Gy for fruit flies
and seed weevil quality control, respectively by using cesium-137.

Figure ____. Effect of gamma irradiation on the physico-chemical and visual properties of
mango (Mangifera indica L.), cv. ‘Dushehri’ and ‘Fazli’ stored at 20 °C

Modified Atmospheric Packaging (MAP). This technology is widely used in the country
as it requires only simple and cost-effective technique. Fresh mangoes sealed inside a film or
plastic bag results to modification of the surrounding atmosphere containing carbon dioxide (CO2)
and oxygen (O2). The modified atmosphere decreases the rate of deterioration, ripening and loss
of moisture of the commodity. The plastic film contains diffusion holes to prevent aerobic
respiration and high CO2 level. The number of these holes and its sizes depends on the volume,
maturity and type of commodity to be packed. Studies have conducted for Philippine mangoes
whereas it turns from green to half ripen when stored for one month in a control atmosphere
chamber. This technology allows Philippine mango exporters to bring their products to far
countries. Philippine Nuclear Research Institute is the only irradiation facility in the country.
 Individual Quick Freeze (IQF). A new production and postharvest technology for supply
and marketing sustainability, Instant Quick Freeze (IQF) is an emerging technology that is useful
in postharvest operations for fruits and vegetables. This technology allows each piece of fruit to
be frozen separately avoiding large chunks of frozen product and can last up to 24 months. This
form of mango is later used in smoothies, salads and confectionaries (OctoFrost,2016). It is a
technology that is now widely used in Vietnam to preserve the nutrients and freshness of farmers’
harvests.
 References
Agribusiness Mango Production Management (2015)
HVCDP (2018). Philippine mango industry roadmap (2017-2022). Department of Agriculture
Mahto, R and Das, M. (2013). Effect of gamma irradiation on the physico-chemical and visual
properties of mango (Mangifera indica L.) cv. ‘Dushehri’ and ‘Fazli’ stored at 20C. Postharvest
Biology and Technology. Volume 86 Pp447-455
DOST-PCAARRD (2009). Philippine Recommends for Mango Production
https://psa.gov.ph/fruits-crops-bulletin/mango
https://www.da.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Philippine-Mango-Industry-Roadmap-2017-
2022.pdf