The heavy flowering of the mango is perturbing horticulture experts because the flowers are attracting a lot of pests on a scale that was more than usual. There is 80% flowering compared to the 30 to 40% last year.
Average yield
Mango is cultivated in 1.5 lakh acres (60,000 hectares in Krishna district; the average yield of the gardens in the district is four tonnes an acre), according to Krishna district Assistant Director N. Sujatha.
The 80% flowering has attracted pests with mango hopper seen on the flower at several places in the district.
Three species of the hoppers namely Idioscopus niveosparsus, Idioscopus clypealis and Amirtodus atkinsoni are serious pests in the mango-growing regions in the country.
They remain active throughout the year but the incidence is severe between February and April.
Infested flowers shrivel, turn brown and fall off.
The hoppers also excrete honey dews on which black mould develops that interferes with photosynthesis and arrests new shoot development.
Despite heavy flowering, fruit setting is expected to be less than 50%. The formation of fruits is expected to start 10 days, she said. Good flowering does not mean good crop, Ms. Sujatha said.
Last year, the flowering was very poor, between 30% and 40%, but the quality of fruit was better because there was no infestation. With the implementation of carbide ban in the district, farmers waited till the fruit reached maturity and the traders were ready to pay more for the high-quality fruit, she said.
Another problem
Another problem with mango farmers is their poor water management, she said. When the Nagarjuna Sagar water is available in abundance, the farmers tend to use too much water. Water has not been released from the NSP for the second consecutive year.
Excess watering increases the size of the fruit but the taste will be poor. Rain is the only source of water for a majority of the farmers. Only a few farmers have tube-wells. This too has improved the quality of the fruits, she said.
