What causes russetting on mango skin?

[fruitlovers]

You can see this green mango starting to look like a russett potato. What is the cause?

[puglvr1]

Very weird...I've never seen that on a Mango(or anything else) before? Can't wait to hear what might cause it...

Does it stop ripening when this happens?

[Squam256]

Looks like scab.

[Adacaosky]

On the following site, I came across something which resembles the russeting of the mango you're asking about. UH calls it the anthracnose "tear stain" effect. Here on Guam, many of the wild string mangoes have this when they develop during times of heavy rains. Believe it or not, when the wild trees here have unusually ugly mangoes-- sometimes they end up having an unparalleled sweetness and flavor which a good Haden or Altaulfo can not match. So very strange...

An interesting side note totally off topic: I would hesitate calling the wild, stringy mangoes in the jungles here a "Turpentine" (but they probably are)because I have never came across that tasting note in the cultivar. But they are a ball of yarn soaked in mango juice!  Do you have these wild string mangoes in Hawaii as well, Oscar?


http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/pd-48.pdf

Chris

[fruitlovers]

On the following site, I came across something which resembles the russeting of the mango you're asking about. UH calls it the anthracnose "tear stain" effect. Here on Guam, many of the wild string mangoes have this when they develop during times of heavy rains. Believe it or not, when the wild trees here have unusually ugly mangoes-- sometimes they end up having an unparalleled sweetness and flavor which a good Haden or Altaulfo can not match. So very strange...

An interesting side note totally off topic: I would hesitate calling the wild, stringy mangoes in the jungles here a "Turpentine" (but they probably are)because I have never came across that tasting note in the cultivar. But they are a ball of yarn soaked in mango juice!  Do you have these wild string mangoes in Hawaii as well, Oscar?


http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/pd-48.pdf

Chris

Hi Chris, this looks different than that tear stain effect, though have that one also! Plenty of anthracnose around here! I don't know if fruit will keep ripening. I've only seen this on a few fruits, first time i've noticed it. Yes we have the super stringy mangos growing wild here also.
Squam, it looks different than the photos i've seen of mango scab:
http://www.nt.gov.au/d/Content/File/p/Plant_Pest/709.pdf
But it's possible it is some type of fungus, certainly have enough moisture here to propagate all kinds of fungus.

[HMHausman]

You can see this green mango starting to look like a russett potato. What is the cause?

The champion of this condition in my yard is the Extrema mango.  They look very much like potatoes when they are mature.  The interior is totally unaffected.  I haven't figured out what causes this.  I assumed it was some sort of environmental irritant.....probably fungal.  As long as the interior is unaffected I am not going to lose any sleep over it. What type of mango is it that you have this on?  Have you seen any interior problems in the affected fruits?  It definitely makes the fruit unsaleable. 

Harry

[bsbullie]

You can see this green mango starting to look like a russett potato. What is the cause?

The champion of this condition in my yard is the Extrema mango.  They look very much like potatoes when they are mature.  The interior is totally unaffected.  I haven't figured out what causes this.  I assumed it was some sort of environmental irritant.....probably fungal.  As long as the interior is unaffected I am not going to lose any sleep over it. What type of mango is it that you have this on?  Have you seen any interior problems in the affected fruits?  It definitely makes the fruit unsaleable. 

Harry

Maybe to he layman but to a lot of fruit lovers, if the exterior looks like this but the interior is phenomenal, then I would surly buy it.

[fruitlovers]

You can see this green mango starting to look like a russett potato. What is the cause?

The champion of this condition in my yard is the Extrema mango.  They look very much like potatoes when they are mature.  The interior is totally unaffected.  I haven't figured out what causes this.  I assumed it was some sort of environmental irritant.....probably fungal.  As long as the interior is unaffected I am not going to lose any sleep over it. What type of mango is it that you have this on?  Have you seen any interior problems in the affected fruits?  It definitely makes the fruit unsaleable. 

Harry

Forget which tree it was on. Will have to take another look. Was wondering if it could be mites? I know on some other fruits, like citrus, mites can cause symptoms like this.

[Mike T]

I doubt the russetting is caused by anthracnose as you don't see any more of it on badly anthracnose infected trees or in high rainfall zones.Russetted fruit seem more common also on the shaded side of trees.

A. the feral mangoes are here by the 1000's also and they are just as you describe.We call them common stringies or turpentines as they have been called for over 100 years.They are not turpentine in flavor however and the orange/yellow flesh has less turps and genuine complexity than many cultivated monos.I see the word complexity oddly used to mean acid and hydrocarbon tastes in mangoes and a taint in papayas.

[fruitlovers]

I noticed today that the tree with russetted mangos was the Chokanon. Didn't notice it on any of the others.

[HMHausman]

I noticed today that the tree with russetted mangos was the Chokanon. Didn't notice it on any of the others.

Let the folks marketing thi mango that yet another miracle can be listed in its advertising of this mango........it'll russett in Hawaii, when others won't.  Amazing fruit!  LOL

Harry

[fruitlovers]

I noticed today that the tree with russetted mangos was the Chokanon. Didn't notice it on any of the others.

Let the folks marketing thi mango that yet another miracle can be listed in its advertising of this mango........it'll russett in Hawaii, when others won't.  Amazing fruit!  LOL

Harry

A very dubious honor! 

[FlyingFoxFruits]

Seems like the mangoes near Salt water have less spots and disease...Ensey's place is strange, being that the mangoes have nearly zero blemishes.

Something about their location seems prime for mango culture, not just a warm micro climate.

[HMHausman]

Seems like the mangoes near Salt water have less spots and disease...Ensey's place is strange, being that the mangoes have nearly zero blemishes.

Something about their location seems prime for mango culture, not just a warm micro climate.

Totally agree.  I have observed for years that mangoes grown within closer proximity to the slightest of salty sea breeze are less in need of fungicide, color up better and are much less prone to anthracnose marring.

Harry

[MangoMan2]

Seems like the mangoes near Salt water have less spots and disease...Ensey's place is strange, being that the mangoes have nearly zero blemishes.

Something about their location seems prime for mango culture, not just a warm micro climate.

Totally agree.  I have observed for years that mangoes grown within closer proximity to the slightest of salty sea breeze are less in need of fungicide, color up better and are much less prone to anthracnose marring.

Harry



Those nearly ZERO BLEMISHES didn't come from the salt in the air guys. We have a spray program that we follow religiously each year. I posted it once before and got a ear-full about it.
So I won't go there again.

Joe.

[FlyingFoxFruits]

Haha!!

At least he's honest!

Good job spraying.

I never said they was organic!

Pesticide can be sinfully sweet in moderation!

Glad to know its not just hot salt air making those mangoes so pretty...I was going to spray all my plants with a mix of seasalt and water 1:1.

 

[fruitlovers]

I just noticed that my Kasturi tree also has russetting on the fruits, although not as bad as the mango photoed. So can't be caused by anthracnose as the kasturi has zero anthracnose.

[Mike T]

I have noticed much russetting in my foraging activities over the years.My feeling here is that russeting is greater in mangoes inside the canopy with less sunlight and breeze and more in windy locations.Inland away from the coast where wind and rain are lower also and in  heavily pruned trees it is not as evident.I always assumed it was a response to environmental factors.

[fruitlovers]

I have noticed much russetting in my foraging activities over the years.My feeling here is that russeting is greater in mangoes inside the canopy with less sunlight and breeze and more in windy locations.Inland away from the coast where wind and rain are lower also and in  heavily pruned trees it is not as evident.I always assumed it was a response to environmental factors.

I really doubt that because in rows with exactly same conditions only one tree has russetting.

[Adacaosky]

Oscar,

Just food for thought. I've noticed a small bug on my mango trees, the likes of which I have never noticed before. They can fit through the eye of a regular sewing needle and are jet black and skinny, with a pointed tail. They are tiny, but in sufficient numbers, I have seen them destroy bunches of leaves. I doubt it's something relatively new to Guam because the symptoms they cause here on island has been long documented. They prefer surfaces of young leaves (probably fruit as well) and they cause ugly russeting on my mango leaves. No fruits yet to test my theory.

They seem to favor my NDM and Gold Nugget over all others. Do you think that some sort of insect like what I described actually prefers certain cultivars? And maybe...just maybe some years, natural predators keep their populations down enough to cause less-obvious damage?

[TnTrobbie]

I have seen this in Trinidad. Particularly on my neighbour's 20+ yr old Starch mango. I've noticed it spreads by close proximity as my dad's Christmas mango season from one of his Julie tree was affected. Thick elephant like skin and very unappealing even for me. Those that did not develop the skin was black black as if covered with soot. Removed that secondary Starch mango branch that hovered over the Julie. Did some more selective pruning on both trees to increase sunlight and wind flow and the following summer crop was back to normal. Made me second thought bringing back a starch mango seed to FL. Good to finally know it's caused by Anthracnose and it's apperance is based on the type of mango. Thx for the UH link Adacaosky.

[Adacaosky]

I have seen this in Trinidad. Particularly on my neighbour's 20+ yr old Starch mango. I've noticed it spreads by close proximity as my dad's Christmas mango season from one of his Julie tree was affected. Thick elephant like skin and very unappealing even for me. Those that did not develop the skin was black black as if covered with soot. Removed that secondary Starch mango branch that hovered over the Julie. Did some more selective pruning on both trees to increase sunlight and wind flow and the following summer crop was back to normal. Made me second thought bringing back a starch mango seed to FL. Good to finally know it's caused by Anthracnose and it's apperance is based on the type of mango. Thx for the UH link Adacaosky.

Wow, good to know that selective pruning to increase sunlight and wind flow has helped you and your dad regain good quality fruit harvests. 

[fruitlovers]

Hi adacaosky, i had been wondering if the mango russetting wasn't caused by mites. We have a mite that causes very similar russetting on citrus. Still haven't figured it out. But i haven't put much energy into figuring it out as so far it's a very small problem.

[Adacaosky]

Hi adacaosky, i had been wondering if the mango russetting wasn't caused by mites. We have a mite that causes very similar russetting on citrus. Still haven't figured it out. But i haven't put much energy into figuring it out as so far it's a very small problem.

That's good to know it's a minor problem! My calamondin fruit has the same russeting that I see on my mango leaves, so you're on to something there...