Recent Advances in Breeding of Mango (Mangifera indica): A Review

Mango stands as a significant fruit crop with global importance, thriving primarily in tropical and subtropical regions across the world. (Mangifera indica L.) belongs to the Anacardiaceae family. This evergreen, sizable tree bears a beloved tropical fruit that enjoys local consumption and international trade. The choice of preferred mango varieties varies from one country to another. Generally, mango types from subcontinental Asian regions are monoembryonic, while those from South East Asian regions tend to be polyembryonic. Despite Mangifera indica's prevalence within the Mangifera genus, several other species within this genus share grafting and pollination compatibility with M. indica. These species can serve as valuable rootstocks or sources of novel genetic traits for breeders. Growing mango presents challenges due to the rapid decline in seed viability shortly after fruit maturity, typically within weeks. While a diverse array of mango varieties is available, inherent limitations exist, including extended juvenility, high clonal heterozygosity, the presence of only one seed per fruit, resilient seeds, polyembryony, early post-zygotic auto-incompatibility, and a substantial land requirement for hybrid evaluation. Breeders, however, benefit from the extensive variation and the ease of vegetative hybrid production. A successful mango cultivar must exhibit traits such as dwarfness, precocity, regular and prolific fruit bearing, appealing fruit of good size and quality, resistance to physiological issues, diseases, and insects, and an extended shelf life. A comprehensive understanding of mango phenology, inheritance patterns, and advanced techniques for hybridization has proven invaluable in addressing challenges like irregular fruit bearing, susceptibility to disorders and pests, and issues with taste and quality. The development of genetic markers has further reduced uncertainties in mango breeding and improved the management of hybrid populations.