Mango belongs to the family anacardiceae whose botanical name is magnifera indica. The plant is believed to have originated from South and South East Asia. Mango trees are deep rooted, and may attain height of 90ft. New leaves arise from terminal growth flushes that may occur several times in a year.
Mango farming in Kenya is done mostly done in the coastal region and eastern parts of Kenya. Mangoes are eaten raw as dessert fruits or may be processed to various products.[dt_fancy_title title=”ECOLOGICAL REQUIREMENTS” title_align=”left” title_size=”h6″ title_color=”accent” separator_style=”thick” separator_color=”custom” custom_separator_color=”#f2f2f2″]
- Temperatures
Mango do best on average annual temperature of between 15 to 30 degrees centigrade.
- Rainfall.
Annual rainfall of 850 to 1000mm is sufficient for mango cultivation. It should be noted that rainfall during flowering season reduces fruit setting. After the plant is well established it can tolerate drought especially when its tap root reaches the water table.
- Soils
Mango plants are adapted to many soil types but prefer deep(at least 3m)soils that are fertile and well drained with optimum PH of 5.5to 7.5.
- Suitable growing areas in Kenya.
Mango do well in low land to upper midland areas. Most suitable areas in Kenya include coastal areas, Murang’a, Thika Taveta, lower Embu, Machakos, Makueni and Kitui.[dt_fancy_title title=”VARIETIES” title_align=”left” title_size=”h6″ title_color=”accent” separator_style=”thick” separator_color=”custom” custom_separator_color=”#f2f2f2″]There are two types of mango varieties grown in Kenya i.e. the local and the exotic varieties. Exotic mangoes are grafted on the local varieties. Local varieties include Dodo, Boribo,and Batawi. While the exotic varieties include Apple, Tommy and Kent among others.[vc_single_image image=”1221″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][dt_fancy_title title=”PESTS AND DISEASES” title_align=”left” title_size=”h6″ title_color=”accent” separator_style=”thick” separator_color=”custom” custom_separator_color=”#f2f2f2″]PESTS[vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″]Mango Seed Weevil.
Adult weevils are dark brown with grey markings. They are 6 to 9 cm long and possess typical features of weevils with strong exoskeleton. The female weevil lays eggs on young fruits. After the egg hutches the larvae tunnels in to the fruit through the flesh and reaches the seeds where they complete the life cycle.
Control
Spray emerald@ 10ml/20l or Loyalty @5g/20l.
Mango gallfly.
The pest causes the leaf to produce wart-like galls resulting to reduced photosynthesis. Severe infestation can result to total defoliation. Adult fly lays eggs on the young leaf tissues. Once the eggs hutches the larva burrows in the leaf and gall formation begins in 7 days.
Control
Spray legacy @25ml/20litres.
Note: Proper timing is very crucial and this should be done at the onset of flushing.
Mealybugs.
They are tinny soft bodied insects which tend to mass together in to a cottony looking mass on mango plants. They are sucking pests and their feeding activities cause slow plant growth and can kill twigs and new leaves.
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Mango scales.
They are limpet-like insects with shell-like waxy covering which conceals their body. They feed by sucking the plant sap hence robbing plants their essential nutrients. They weaken or even kill the plants.
Control
Emerard @ 10mls/20litres, Loyalty @ 5g/ 20litrs.
Thrips
Thrips are slender, minute insects with fringed wings and unique asymmetrical mouth parts. They cause damage to plants by puncturing and sucking thee contents.
Control
Alonze @ 3mls/20L, Bazooka @10mls /20 L
Red spider mites.
They are members of acari family. They generally live on the underside of the leave. May spin protective silk web. They cause damage by puncturing plant cells.
Control
Alonze@ 3mls/20l,Bazooka@10mls/20l
Mango fruitfly.
The female fly lays eggs under the skin of mango fruit. Eggs hutch into whitish maggot which feeds on the fruit.
Control
Pentagon@ 10ml20l, Lexus@8ml/20l[/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner]DISEASES
- Powdery mildew.
Affects leaves, and flowers of mango plants. Usually starts off as white spots. Affected plants look as if they have been dusted with white substance.
Control.
Ransom @15g/20l, Ducasse @ 20ml/20l
- Anthracnose
It’s a fungal infection which may affect the stem, leaves, flowers or even the fruit. It is characterized by dark sunken lesions on the affected parts.
Control
Ransom @15g/20l, Ducasse @ 20ml/20l.
- Die Back
This disease is characterized by drying up of twigs from top to bottom of particular older Plants followed by drying of the leaves which give an appearance of fire scotch.
Control.
Prune the affected twigs 3 inches below infection site and spray Green cop @50g/20l.[vc_single_image image=”1222″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][dt_fancy_title title=”WEED CONTROL” title_align=”left” title_size=”h6″ title_color=”accent” separator_style=”thick” separator_color=”custom” custom_separator_color=”#f2f2f2″]In order to manage weeds effectively in mango orchards farmers should practice chemical weed control. This method is cost effective and safes time. The farmer can mix Clampdown at the rate of 200ml/20l and spray the weeds. It is important to note that the water to be used in the sprays must be clean. Clampdown will control most weeds in mango orchard including the notorious ones like pulp, couch grass.[dt_fancy_title title=”NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCY” title_align=”left” title_size=”h6″ title_color=”accent” separator_style=”thick” separator_color=”custom” custom_separator_color=”#f2f2f2″]
- Potassium deficiency.
It is characterized by scratching of leaf margin which starts from the top downwards. Fruit quality is highly reduced.
Control
Spray Dimiphite.
- Boron deficiency.
It is characterized by flower abortion, and also cracking of fruits. Brown areas can also be seen in yellow fruit pulp
Control.
Spray Vitabor gold @ 20mls /20l
- Zinc deficiency
Mango plants with zinc deficiency develop small leaves with margin bend either upwards or down wards.
Control
Spray zinc gold.
- Salt injury
Leaves are scotched due to excess salts in the soil or irrigated water. They may lose the natural color and turn to bronze color. Tip burning is also seen in severe cases.
Control
Mix 1kg of Humipower with 50kg of fertilizer and apply to minimize the salt levels.[vc_single_image image=”1223″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”]
