Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
half-fi lling this with water. Baits of chlorpyrifos insecticide used as pellets put
on the ant trails or at the entrance of their nest are used. The ants take the
pellets down the nest and as they come in contact with the fungus they feed
on they die. Another way is to pump chlorpyrifos powder into the nest with
a special blower; this will kill all ants if the product reaches all corners of the
nest.
Other insect pests, such as scale insects, thrips and the red spider mites are
found almost universally but they are relatively easily controlled by natural
enemies and by chemical sprays and do not usually pose any problems.
Weed management
Weed control is essential during orchard establishment. Young trees can be
grown under clean cultivation or sod. Frequently intercropping is practised
during mango establishment with papaya, pineapple or vegetables. Canopy
closure of maturing trees prevents weed growth.
HARVESTING AND POSTHARVEST HANDLING
Harvesting
Harvest maturity is determined by using criteria such as changes in colour,
fullness of cheeks and hardened endocarp. The most reliable indicator of
maturity is when the endocarp has hardened and there is a yellowing of the
fl esh near the seed; however, this is a destructive test. Immature fruit do not
ripen to full fl avour and should not be harvested, hence the importance of
maturity determination. Fruit-set dates can be established as an index for
harvesting. The fruit-set date for each tree is determined when the panicle
shows a high percentage of initial fruit set. An old recommendation to judge
the date of harvest was when the fi rst fruit dropped, the fruits on the tree were
ready to pick. The mango is harvested by hand from the ground, wherever
reachable, or from ladders and by the use of a long pole with a metal basket
or a cloth bag to hold two or three large fruit. Harvesting is also done using
two people, one on a ladder to cut the fruit and let it drop into the hands of the
other on the ground.
Postharvest treatments
Any form of bruising should be avoided during harvesting and transporting to
the packing house. Normally the fruit will be harvested with a 3-4 cm length
of peduncle; the fruit are put under the shade of the trees either on the ground
in small furrows or on a layer of sawdust or in specially designed boxes with