MANGO HYBRIDIZATION AT THE HORTICULTURAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE, SAHARANPUR

R.S. Chauhan
Unlike many annual crops, mango hybridization presents special problems and is relatively a more difficult material to handle. The plants cannot be raised in large number, the genetic composition is unknown and the knowledge of inheritance of their characters is meagre. Segregation of distinct types is retarded because pure lines are not readily obtainable. Moreover, there is the time factor as it normally takes six years or even more for a seedling to come in bearing, and in case the optimum yield of a tree is to be assessed one has to wait for another 15 years or so.

Planned hybridization work has been reported from various parts of the country (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). Mango hybridization at the Horticultural Research Institute, Saharanpur, was started in 1951 and few promising hybrids have been reported by Singh (7) and Singh (8). In the present paper, further progress of the work is given. Intervarietal crosses made during the period 1964-69 and the results obtained are given in table 1.

It is evident from table 1 that the number of fruits obtained depends largely on the variety used as seed parent. Poor results were obtained whenever Langra was used as seed parent probably due to the poor retention of the fruits.

Fourty six hybrids of different cross combinations have come into bearing during the recent years. Pre-bearing age of hybrids has been found to vary 3 to 9 years. With a view to assess fruiting behaviour and tendency towards regular bearing yield records of full grown hybrids were taken. The data on fruit number of 18 hybrids of 5 different parentage have been given in table 2.

It is evident from table 2 that one hybrid each of the cross Dashehari x Fajari Zafrani and 'vice-versa' exhibited a strong tendency towards biennial bearing. This may be expected as both the parents happen to be biennial bearers. Hybrid 1 of the cross Dashehari x Romani is most promising as is evident from the consistency in yields. Of the 12 hybrids of the cross Dashehari x Totapari Hyderabad, hybrid 5 and 9 showed a tendency towards regular bearing through they appear to be shycroppers. Both the hybrids of the cross Dashehari x Baramasi are strictly biennial bearers and unlike Baramasi put forth blossoms only once a year.

Considerable variation among the progeny of same parentage is another important point to be considered. Many intermediate gradations occur between two extremes of various characters. This is also true about the fruity yields of hybrids.

Chauhan, R.S. (1972). MANGO HYBRIDIZATION AT THE HORTICULTURAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE, SAHARANPUR. Acta Hortic. 24, 131-133
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.1972.24.23
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1972.24.23

Acta Horticulturae