9 New Mango Varieties and Selections in the Philippines According to UPLB
Mangoes hold a distinct part of the Filipino culture and history. Aside from mangoes being the national fruit of the Philippines, these tropical fruits can be seen almost anywhere in the country, with peak season from March to August.
With the Philippines included among the top 10 mango producing countries in the world, no wonder festivals are celebrated in honor of the golden fruit. But what if we tell you that this is not the end of the mango madness as a research institute in the Philippines bred nine new varieties of mangoes in the country?
IMAGE from Unsplash
This mango breeding program was initiated by the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) with the help of the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCCARRD) back in 2012.
This year, the nine new mango varieties and selections were introduced during a virtual presser on June 8, 2022 with no other than Carolyn E. Alcasid of the Institute of Plant Breeding (IPB) in UPLB to bring the most promising news to mango lovers and farmers all around the country!
Carolyn E. Alcasid from the Institute of Plant Breeding during the virtual presser / IMAGE from Crops Research Division of DOST-PCAARRD
Here are the nine new varieties of the golden fruit that you might wish to try!
‘Mangoming’ Mango
Iligan City, Lanao del Norte
Owned by: Maria Socorro Bodiongan
According to the virtual presser, the Mangoming held the title of being the heaviest mango by the Guinness Book of World Records from 2009 to 2020! It bears fruit twice a year, and, unlike the golden mangoes on our table, the Mangoming is yellowish green when ripe.
If you want to know more about the Mangoming, you may visit the Group of Mangoming Growers in the Philippines, a private Facebook group for those interested in this variety.
Farrales Mango
Castillejos Zambales
Owned by: Ferla Farrales
Fruit flies are known to be devils of the mango industry. These are pests that lay eggs on mangoes and eat the fruits once they matured. However, the Farrales Mango is resistant to these insects, making it an ideal variety to farmers.
What’s more, the Farrales bears fruit from January to February and from July to August, according to the virtual presser. Mango lovers will surely like this variety, thanks to its sweet scent and flavor!
IMAGE from DOST PCAARRD’s Facebook page
‘Carotene’ Mango
Named after a plant pigment that are essential to the production of vitamin A in fruits and vegetables, the ‘Carotene’ Mango has a high vitamin A content and is available during the summer, from May to June. Like the Farrales Mango, it is resistant to fruit flies and anthracnose, which affects the production of this particular variety.
Tommy Atkins Mango
The Tommy Atkins Mango goes side by side with the Farrales and Carotene for having a strong resistance to anthracnose and least susceptibility to fruit flies. This variety is widely grown in the United States of America and bears fruit from June to August.
According to Alcasid of the IPB in the university, this variety is not very sweet, which makes it ideal for those who like their mangoes with just the right freshness and flavor.
IPB Carabao 1 Mango
For those who can’t get enough of just one mango in one sitting, the IPB Carabao 1 Mango is said to have a “high percent edible portion.” It also has a moderate tolerance to anthracnose.
‘Kyla Luz’ Mango
Tiaong Quezon
Owned by: Adela Rapadas
Unlike the other varieties that bear fruit twice a year just with good environment conditions, the ‘Kyla Luz’ Mango bears fruit when chemically induced.
Three Carabao Strains (12-053, 12-209, 12-127)
While these strains are still under “morphological classification,” according to Alcasid, the 12-053 from UPLB as well as the 12-209 and 12-127 from Quezon are “identified to have resistance to anthracnose and fruit fly.”
Interested to buy seedlings? You may visit Fom Section’s Facebook page, the Fruit Crops Section of the IPB in UPLB. You may also visit DOST PCAARRD to know more about the Philippines’ agriculture and natural resources.
Source: DOST PCAARD, Virtual Presser: New Promising Mango Varieties and Selections
Featured image from Unsplash
