The efforts that the Zills put into their Mango breeding program is incredible. Their emphasis on superior taste is what amazes me most. If they chose instead to focus their efforts on a commercial Mango, many if not all of the top ten Zill creations might not be here for us to enjoy today.
Unfortunately, much of the world only knows about Tommy Atkins, Kent, Haden and NDM. Even so, people enjoy eating mangos. The members of the Tropical Fruit Forum are fortunate enough to be amongst the first to hear/taste new Zill varieties and it would be awesome if we shared our experiences and Mangos with Mango neophytes so that they can become more familiar with the New Developments in Mangos.
I’m personally growing many mango seeds, mostly from Polyembryonic mango seeds and inevitably, a zygotic seedling will arise from these planting’s with a very small possibility that it will be an improvement over the maternal parent which bore the fruit.
These zygotic seedlings will have at least 50% of its genes from the maternal parent. If other seed growers are like me, they only plant the best varieties in their yard and with a bit of luck, the pollinating parent for such zygotic seedling will come these top varieties.
What would a Lemon Zest crossed with a Sweet Tart or Piña Colada taste like? What about an E4 or M4 crosses with a Pineapple Pleasure?
When I plant my seedlings, I’m not only fantasizing about the possibility of new flavor profiles but I’m also hoping for an increase in size of the fruit for Mangos that tend to be smaller, such as Piña Colada Mangos. I’m also hoping for Mangos that can hang on the tree longer, have a larger window period for optimal eating and Mangos that can be picked mature green to be shipped.
In a small backyard setting, these are just fantasies that will likely only Fruit when I’m in deep R.E.M. sleep but backyard growers like Leo Manuel and his success in selecting excellent eating mangos that taste excellent and produce very well in our climate gives me hope and the realization that lightening in fact sometimes does strike, sometimes twice.
Simon