Mango varieties grown in Thailand, known as Thai mangoes in other countries, are not native to Thailand but to the Indian subcontinent. Thailand has researched original mango varieties and developed many improved ones, which are now being cultivated commercially. Some of these varieties are also grown in other countries. Recently, several mango varieties from Thailand, such as Chukanon, Miachao, Mohachnak, Nam Doc Mai, Nam Doc Mai Man, Nam Doc Mai 4, Umran, and Thai raw sweet, have been introduced to Bangladesh. Among these, the Nam Doc Mai variety is popular for consumption as a ripe mango, while the Thai Kacha Mitha variety is favored as a raw mango. Although the Nam Doc Mai variety may have different names in different nurseries in Bangladesh, it refers to the same variety. Nam Doc Mai variety mango seedlings are now available in various nurseries, including tree fairs.
The Naam Doc Mai variety of mangoes has several characteristics. The mangoes from this variety can be consumed when raw or ripe. The tree is of medium size, densely leafy, and erect. Its new leaves are light green, which turn dark green as they age. A six-year-old tree can reach a height of up to six meters. The tree begins to bud and bear fruit from the year after the seedlings are planted. It takes four to five years for the saplings to bear fruit.
The fruit of this variety is long and slightly curved, with a gradually narrowing and blunt tip. Unripe mangoes are green, but as they ripen, their skin turns completely yellow. The average weight of a mango from this variety is 300 grams, typically ranging between 250 and 400 grams. The mangoes are about 13 cm long and 6 cm wide. When ripe, the skin is yellow and soft, and the flesh is very sweet and without fiber. However, the flesh near the seed sometimes becomes soft, even turning into a jelly-like or mushy consistency. About three-fourths of the weight of a mango is the flesh, while one part is the peel and pith. The skin is quite thin. Ripe mangoes exude a mild sweet aroma. The seeds of this variety are polyembryonic, usually resulting in one sapling from a mango seed, but many seedlings can be produced from one branch. Unlike other mango varieties, the seedlings grown from the roots of the Naam Doc Mai variety have the same qualities as the parent tree, ensuring that the mangoes grown from those trees also have the same characteristics.
Cultivation:
Doc Mai variety mango can be planted in house yard, roof drum, pond bank, commercial garden. One or two trees can be planted as a hobby in the homestead. But if someone wants to build a commercial garden of this variety even on two hectares of land, then the profit will not be less than that of Amrapali mango. For planting this type of mango tree, high land is required, where flood or rain water does not get trapped. Nam Doc Mai mango can be grown in any soil except sand, sandy loam and coastal saline soil. Cultivation can be done on red soil and hills. But loam and clay loam soils are best. The growth and yield of plants is better if you use organic fertilizers in such soil.
Grafted seedlings can be planted in a very dense manner with less distance. After five to six years of fruiting from those trees, a tree can be cut from the root from the middle of the two trees. This can almost double the profit from the same amount of land in the first three to four years. After cutting, the remaining trees are left in abundance and if they are well taken care of, they become full. Generally, a distance of four to six meters is given for planting saplings or grafts of this variety. According to this distance, 185 to 278 seedlings can be planted per hectare. In a very dense system, trees can be planted in rows in all directions with a distance of three meters. If not, firstly, by planting saplings or cuttings at a distance of six meters and leaving no space in between, various vegetables, mung beans and mashkalai pulses, sesame seeds, ginger etc. can be planted until the trees are big enough. Seven to 10 days before planting, a hole should be dug and 10 to 15 kg of dung mixed with manure should be placed in the soil of the hole. Grafted seedlings protection should also be arranged. Rainy season is the best time to plant seedlings. But polybag or tub pens can be planted at any time of the year except very cold. In that case irrigation should be done. Plant the seedling straight in the middle of the hole and water the root of the seedling. When the seedlings start to grow, if four tablets of fertilizer are buried around the base of the plant, there is no need to give any more fertilizer throughout the year. But from the second year, quantity of urea, TSP, MOP, zinc and gypsum fertilizers should be applied. Boron fertilizer should also be given if necessary. Otherwise, the pulp of the mango may burst. Pruning is very necessary for the beautiful structure, growth, disease and insect attack and good yield of this variety of mango trees. Pruning is especially important in the first few years after planting. In addition to the root trunk or trunk being strong, the head of the tree is more bushy, holding more flowers and fruits. When the tree begins to bear fruit, the branches hanging down should be cut. The branches that are too densely planted should also be trimmed and thinned. If the tree is pruned to a height of three to five meters, spraying and fruiting is convenient. This type of tree bears fruit regularly every year, but not equally every year.
Seedlings or Grafted seedlings:
Seedlings can be grown directly from seeds or through grafting. To start with, fully ripe fruit should be picked from the tree and kept indoors for two to four days to soften. Then, the seeds should be collected from the mango and planted in the soil of the first seed bed. The seeds should be placed in rows at a distance of 20 to 30 cm in the seed bed and covered with loose soil. It’s better to plant them immediately after removing from the fruit. If not, they can be dried in the shade for a few days and stored in a sack. Once the seedlings start to grow, they should be carefully cut and separated with the roots, then planted in a second seedbed, in tubs, or in large polybags mixed with dung soil. These seedlings will be ready for planting in the garden after one year. The best time for making seedlings is from June to October month.
If you prefer grafting, you should first grow seedlings from the stem of a native variety of mango that is a medium-sized tree. Using the cleft grafting method, make a crack in the head of the seedling and cut the tip of the Nam Doc Mai tree into three pieces. Insert the pieces into the crack and tie them with ribbons. Once the new leaf starts from the attached tip, it means that the joint is successful. This method is beneficial for producing new seedlings, as trees produced this way start bearing fruit one to two years after planting.
Disease Management:
Powdery mildew, also known as white powder disease, is more common in this variety. This fungal disease attacks the buds and stems, covering them with white powder. Flowers and small fruits may rot and fall off as a result. The disease typically occurs from budding until the fruit is about the size of a lentil grain. It is more likely to occur in foggy conditions. In the event of an attack, scabs may fall off. Therefore, an approved fungicide should be sprayed immediately after budding, before flowering. Additionally, a type of insect may penetrate the skin of the mango when it is unripe, destroying it by consuming the shell and the young pulp. Fruit flies may attack during ripening, piercing the fruit and causing it to spoil. Consequently, approved insecticides must be sprayed to protect the fruit from these insects.
