The Tropical Fruit Forum

Some years ago I posted something along this topic in this forum, which I think you will find is right up your ally.

http://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=3604.msg50449#msg50449


You need to do searches on the Volatile Components of mangoes.
  https://ucanr.edu/datastoreFiles/608-655.pdf

once you look over these, it becomes clear why mangoes vary in taste and aroma so much between cultivars.

this next paper compares Nam Doc Mai,  to Maha Chanok,    some people seem to detect carrot or parsnip flavor in the Maha Chanoc.  in this  document you can actually see what it is that gives that variety it's unique flavor.   http://www.ifrj.upm.edu.my/19%20%2804%29%202012/22%20IFRJ%2019%20%2804%29%202012%20Laohaprasit%20%28024%29.pdf

I think that back yard growers have tons of options to choose from, just look at how many mango aficionados complain of not having enough room for that new variety.

Where I think breeding work needs to be done is in commercial varieties.  the pickings are slim in this area.

What's needed?   
* A fruit that can be picked mature green,  but ripen perfectly,  after 2 weeks.
* Firm and thick skinned to for shipping.   
* looks nice , ( colors sell,  think of those poor souls that mistakenly select the beautiful Tommy Atkins over a greenish yellow Kiett )
* Disease resistant
* Productive, and reliable.  ( Not so dependent on climate triggers to know when to flower )
* Smaller tree, good for high density farms, and easy harvesting.
* Taste like a top tier mango
* 100% fiberless with dark orange flesh

So if I had to select which fruit to get traits from.

Kiett :  for its productivity,  disease resistance, shelf life and shipping ability.   but lacks color and quality of fruit (flavor and texture ) can be improved on.
Tommy Atkins:  for all it's commercial traits,  and color.

once you have this you "pair" it with something that will improve the fruit quality.

many of the top tier mangoes , seem to be very finicky into picking times or that narrow window of perfect ripeness.  for someone that has a tree in their back yard,  this is not much of a problem,  but having fruit that has a longer shelf life is an attractive trait even for backyard growers.   

for home growers, I think the following traits should be focused on by breeders:
* Disease resistance
* Consistency in quality and production each year ( not so sensitive to climate such as,  for example Glenn, Angie etc )
* Naturally dwarf
* Long shelf life and forgiving in when you pick them.

The budwood for our “Jumbo Kesar” was sourced from Fairchild. It is just a regular Kesar. Not sure if or where the real Jumbo Kesar exists in Florida at this point

I was going to say something about that not looking like a Jumbo Kesar,   here is a link of a video I recorded a few years ago,  when Ledesma was visiting a mango project in the DR.  on this farm they had both the regular and jumbo type Kesar,  all scions were brought in directly from India ( a few thousand )  Jumbo Kesar are about 50-100% bigger than the regular ones,  but other than size, are identical in flavor. 

http://youtu.be/JCnW56M77Yw?t=960

I always try to have a Pickering available,  when someone in the family or a friend asks me for a good mango tree to put in their yard,  I'll hand them a Pickering.  size, reliability, precociousness and flavor. 

Some natives to Egypt argue Taymour is their finest mango.  I sought it out this year at Tropical Acres delivered.  Do not be deterred by the frog green skin with black spots.  Inside hides two tone yellowy orange flesh that defines delight.  Its O M G good.  Dense, sweet, resinous, rich and complex.  Its unusual to find such a sweet mango with such rich resin profile.  I think I'm in love. 

Ok that's how I remember them,  thanks for the review.

Interested in the Taymour review,  I am assuming this is the same as Taimor , from Egypt, a green ripening mango.  I tried a couple a few years ago, and they were very good. 

I ain't saying it's aliens,  but, it's aliens.   

Oh that's great, i think this one will be the next one I plant,  a top tier mango , that can be picked green would definitely deter two legged bandits.

Mine reacted well to foliar spray,  ( Garcinia mangostana ) I would start with much lower dosage, and keep those babies out of direct sunlight.  ( mangosteen ).

I love Jagua drink ( cider? )  they make here,   it's more like an infusion,  they soak the fruit in a jar with water and sugar,  it ferments a bit.   regarding the tree,  from what I have been told, it takes a long time before the tree produces fruit,  over 7 years.  from seed.

I noticed you mentioned diabetes,  you might want to take a look at Gynostemma pentaphyllum.   its a vining herb,  used as a tea.   I usually try and stay away from the  over the top claims by people selling miracle pills,  and go for scientific research instead.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3572697/

the seeds are cheap, I purchased some off ebay ,  and they sprouted about a week ago.  although I do not have sugar problems,  there is a lot of other benefits of this herb.  among them it is an AMPK activator.

As for commercially available varieties in supermarkets,  I do not perceive much difference than when I was a kid,  same goes with backyard grown,  in my home town, of Cocoa Beach, out house had a small grove, about 12 orange trees,  ( some kind of navel orange )  and 13 grapefruit,  1 tangerine.  and although people generally look at the past with rose colored classes,   i'd say many fruit I have tried recently are just as good as when I was a kid.

But just like mangoes,  you can have the same variety grown in 5 different locations, and get 5 different outcomes.   I know the citrus industry is seeing some hard times,  with all these new diseases and whacky weather.  been reading on how many citrus growers are about to throw in the towel,  and change crops. 

Today in my yard,  the only plant I have consistent problems growing is citrus,  every bug makes a bulls-eye for them.  scale,  fungus,  nutritional problems.   so I wonder maybe the changes in cultivation is some areas, have changed the quality of citrus.   my old trees from my childhood,  were never sprayed,  didn't even bother fertilizing them,  and they were healthy. 

We have a local variety here in the D.R.  that has that heavy crease down the side just like the one in the picture,  street name is "chancleta"  or sandal mango.  if its' sweet and fibrous,  who knows maybe someone over here exported them.  if they are from the D.R. then that's probably what they are.