A farmer from Rajasthan Shrikishan Suman has developed Sadabahar, a new variety of mangoes resistant to many disorders
Bengaluru: In a major development related to the king of fruits mangoes, a farmer from Rajasthan Shrikishan Suman has developed Sadabahar, a new variety of mangoes.
The specialty of these mangoes is that it is resistant to most major diseases and common mango disorders, said a release from the ministry of science and technology.
The fruit is sweeter in taste, comparable to langra and being a dwarf variety, is suitable for kitchen gardening, high-density plantation, and can be grown in pots for some years too. Besides, the flesh of the fruits, which is bourn round the year, is deep orange with sweet taste, and the pulp has very less fiber content which differentiates it from other varieties. The bountiful of nutrients packed in mango are immensely good for health.
Poverty-led Shrikishan, the brain behind this mango variety, dropped out of school after class two and took up the family profession of gardening (Mali). He had an interest in floriculture and orchard management while the family was focused on growing wheat and paddy. He realised that the success of crops like wheat and paddy was dependent on external factors like rainfall, animal attack, and so on, limiting their profits.
He started growing flowers to augment family’s income, the first ones being different varieties of roses, and sold them in the market. Along with this, he started growing mango too.
In 2000, he identified a mango tree in his orchard with an appreciable growth trend, dark green colored leaves. He noticed that the tree bloomed round the year. On observing these traits, he prepared five grafted mango plants using it as a scion. It took him about fifteen years to develop this variety by preserving and preparing the grafts. He noticed the grafted plants started bearing the fruits from the second year of grafting itself, the release added.
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