Early-season mango variety

National Mango Breeding Program

Early-season mango variety shows potential for Carnarvon

BY VALERIA ALMEIDA LIMA FRUIT RESEARCH SCIENTIST, DPIRD

The Australian National Mango Breeding Program (NMBP) has recently selected three new varieties to be released — all hybrids of the standard variety Kensington Pride (KP): NMBP-1243, NMBP-1201 and NMBP-4069.

3 PRONOUNCED blush and internal colour (inset) of the NMBP-1243 ripe fruits produced at Carnarvon Research Facility.

Participants rated the NMBP-1243 variety the highest for sweetness.

Early maturity, good blush colour, and improved fruit size were among the main objectives of the breeding program, which started in 1994.

NMBP-1243 and NMBP-1201 are crossings of KP and the Irwin variety, while the NMBP-4069 is a crossing between KP and the Van Dyke variety. While NMBP-1201 and NMBP-4069 have a tendency for biennial bearing, NMBP-1243 has consistent year-to-year yields, with all three varieties producing medium to heavy yields. The NMBP varieties have been planted at Carnarvon Research Facility, and the trees are being assessed for yield performance under Carnarvon climatic conditions.

In this season, selective picking started at the beginning of December 2020, with the NMBP-1243 maturing first, followed by the NMBP-1201, and finishing at the end of January 2021 with the NMBP-4069.

Picking commenced when the fruit reached a minimum of 15 per cent dry matter.

In 2020–21 the total fruit yield (including reject fruit) averaged at 82kg/tree for the NMBP-1201, 42kg/tree for the NMBP-4069, and 49kg/tree for the NMBP-1243, producing an average fruit weight of 253g, 246g, and 298g, respectively. Yield and fruit quality of trees are expected to improve in the coming seasons as the trees increase in size and tree health improves. NMBP-1243 appears to be the variety with the most potential for Carnarvon. Its early picking time, good fruit size, high Brix and a pronounced red skin blush gives this variety many suitable characteristics. This season, growers had the opportunity to visit the NMBP trial block and to taste the different varieties, with comments indicating good acceptance of NMBP-1243 for flavour and fruit size.

The variety NMBP-1243 also received positive feedback from participants of the NMBP Survey and Auction Experiment, which included the three NMBP varieties and the R2E2 variety. Participants rated the NMBP-1243 variety the highest for sweetness. A local consumer assessment in Carnarvon is planned for the next harvest season.

As much as 20 per cent of Carnarvon mango production can be rejected due to sunburn. The cultivation of early-season varieties, such as the NMBP-1243, could benefit local growers by reducing the fruit exposure to hot and dry climatic conditions into summer months and the likelihood of sunburn to occur, contributing to an increase in the industry’s pack out.

3 NMBP-1201 trees planted at Carnarvon Research Facility.

NMBP-1201 has a tendency for biennial bearing.

MORE INFORMATION

Neil Lantzke, Project Leader, 0429 990 439 or email neil.lantzke@agric.wa.gov.au Valeria Almeida Lima, Fruit Research Scientist, phone 0416 641 200 or email

valeria.almeidalima@agric.wa.gov.au

Anastasia Van Blommestein, Development Officer, phone 0429 967 925 or email

anastasia.vanblommestein@agric.wa.gov.au

TABLE 1. 2020–21 HARVEST INFORMATION FOR THE NATIONAL MANGO BREEDING PROGRAM VARIETIES AT CARNARVON RESEARCH FACILITY.

Variety Harvest window Average tree yield (kg) Trial 8x6m (t/ha) Trial 6x4m1 (t/ha) Average fruit weight (g) Average dry matter at harvest (%) Average ºBrix at harvest

1201 Early to late-Dec 82.0

12432 Early to mid-Dec

48.8 40692 Late-Dec to late-Jan 41.9 17.1 10.2 8.7 34.2 253 20.3 298 17.4 246 15.9 17.0 15.8 11.5 12.6 8.9