Mango Research Institute, Multan

Mango Research Institute, Multan was established during the year 2011-12 to address crop production and fruit harvesting issues. This institute was established to work with allied sections under one umbrella for the betterment of mango industry in the country. This institute comprises of following sections Horticulture, Plant Pathology, Entomology, Plant Nutrition and Postharvest, working under the leadership of Principal Scientist-Horticulture, Mango Research Institute Multan. It is pertinent to mention here that before the establishment of this institute at Multan, Mango Research Station Shujabad has been working at Shujabad since 1976. Now Mango Research Station Shujabad is working under the administrative control of this institute.

Mission

Introducing the improved varieties, increasing water and nutrient use efficiency and developing practices to produce safe and healthy fruits.

Objectives

Horticulture Section

• Introduction of new mango varieties (Early, Mid and Late) through research and development to expand the market window
• Transfer  of  standardized  technology  to  the  Farmers,  exporters, extension workers, nursery men, and other stake holders.
• Evaluation and establishment of germplasm unit for conservation and distribution of bud wood to the stake holders.
• Evaluation of homogeneous rootstock (Polyembryonic) for mango industry of the country, useful against different abiotic stresses.
• Screening of stable media ingredients in suitable combination to optimize the nutritional and irrigation requirements for the production of clean & healthy potted Mango nursery plants.
• Production of true to type clean & healthy potted Mango nursery plant and sale to the farmer on subsides rate.
• Evaluation of appropriate planting geometry for “small tree system" in Mango.
• To evaluate commercially viable pre and postharvest technologies for delivering quality produce in domestic and export markets

Plant Pathology Section

• To find out Integrated management strategies for mango diseases
• To assess new diseases in mango region
• To conduct lab analysis of unusual diseased samples
• To find out the impact of Environmental variables on the incidence of mango diseases
• To create awareness among mango growers about IDM

Entomology Section

• Insect pest management with minimum use of chemicals/insecticides
• Identification of new emerging insect pest of mango
• Monitoring the insect pest population on new promising mango strains
• Development of insect pest management strategies keeping in view the social, ecological and economic consequences.
• Identification of biological controlling agents against different insect’s pests.

Post-Harvest Section

• To standardize technology for fruit harvesting, post-harvest handling, packing, storage and enhancement in shelf life for its shipment to distant markets of the world.

Plant Nutrition Section

• To work out nutrient response and formulate economic fertilizers recommendation via adapting integrated plant nutrition system
• To find appropriate time and method of fertilizer application
• To correlate mango response with soil test value of different nutrients
• To develop technology for ameliorate of salinity and sodicity minus by the use of amendments.
• To determine the plant growth regulators on mango growth and yield

Horticulture

• Survey for selection of promising mango strains
• Determination of the heat units to achieve fruit maturity for different cultivars of mango.
• Effect of bacterial inoculation on roots & health of potted mango nursery plants.
• Evaluation of various doses of nitrogen at flowering and fruit setting to manage vivipary in mango Cv. Sufaid Chaunsa.
• Impact of growth regulator application on vivipary in mango Cv. Sufaid Chaunsa.
• Response of various irrigation methods in combination with mulches on yield and quality of mango fruit in southern Punjab-Pakistan.
• Evaluation of yield and quality of exportable mango varieties (Sindhri, Chaunsa S.B., Sufaid Chaunsa and Rateaul Late) under small tree system of mango.
• Impact of panicle removal at different lengths on tree growth and fruit yield in mango cultivar S.B. Chaunsa.
• Strategy to develop mango variety in shorter period of time by grafting of promising chance seedlings of Mango
• Assessment of export quality fruit’s share in various exportable varieties under standard management practices.
• Effect of Paclobutrazol to develop vigorous mango nursery plants for field transplantation in minimum time.
• Evaluation of time of pruning for mango trees to control tree size.
• Effect of different practices and treatments to prevent sunburn of mango fruit cv. Sufaid chaunsa.
• Impact of hedge dynamics on yield and quality of mango CV. Sindhri under small tree system.

Plant Pathology

• Efficacy of different fungicides applied during off-season management of mango malformation disease (MMD).
• Standardization of pruning of malformed panicles for management of mango malformation disease (MMD)
• Identification and management of Bacterial Black Spot disease in exportable mango varieties of Pakistan under climate change scenario.

Entomology

• Studies on life cycle of mango fruit borer
• Effect of post-harvest application of insecticides on major and minor pests of mango
• Effect of environment on the population of mango insect pests
• Evaluation of different approaches for management of snails in mango orchards
• Recording the insecticide residues in mango fruits mostly used to control mango scale insect
• Population dynamics of mango scale insect with reference to environmental variables

Post-Harvest

• Development of strategy to protect fruit quality during rainy season
• Determination of role of 1-MCP to enhance fruit quality and storage life
• Standardization of dried mango production technology for Cv. Sindhri & Chaunsa SB
• Standardization of the time lag between harvest and hot water treatment in exportable varieties of mango

Achievments

Following are the main achievements of the institute:

• Registered eleven (11) commercial mango varieties
• Standardized potting media to raise mango nursery plants
• Introduced trench technology to combat declining trees due to salinity
• Improved canopy management technology through modified pruning and nutrition application strategy to produce regular crop and quality mangoes
• Established integrated crop management (ICM) and Small Tree System (STS) demonstration plots in different mango orchards to get feedback of the prevailing issues
• Introduced Macro Infusion System to inject fungicide into main trunk to combat Mango Sudden Death
• Identified new mango diseases viz. Apical necrosis and Dandritic spots
• Found polyembryonic varieties Bullock Heart and Carabao Lamao as tolerant root stock against Mango Sudden Death 
• Published manual of Modern Mango Nursery Production 
• Published manual of Mango Fruit Production Technology according to phenological stages of crop
• Launched capacity building programs of industry stake holder, Agriculture Extension workers, Field Assistant and field staff of pesticide companies through training workshops, seminars, webinars and social media  

Services

Following are the services offered by the institute:

• Provision of registered nursery plants of high potential commercial varieties.
• Technical advisory services to mango growers
• Farmer’s day for awareness and demonstration 
• Distribution of literature, brochures and pamphlets
• Inspection of infested mango orchards & identification of diseases
• Seminars, Lectures and Presentations for growers training.
• Social Media advisory (TV & Radio talks, WhatsApp group, Facebook Page, SMS Caster, Website)

Allied Station

Mango Research Station, Shujabad

Mango is a delicious fruit grown in tropical and subtropical climate of the world and is the second largest fruit crop of Pakistan after citrus and is being grown 174 thousand hectares with annual production of 1784 thousand tones of fruit (International Trade Centre; Trade Map). Mango Research Station, Shujabad was established in 1972-73 by the Government of Punjab, Agriculture Department to handle different problems of mango industry and in recent past the Federal and Provincial Governments remained kind enough to sanction different development projects to conduct research on elite concerns of Mango Industry and these remain handy to solve many problems and to boost the export of quality mangoes direct from growers to super markets of the world. This research station conducted the meaningful research work in the recent past to address different problems and to create awareness among the mango growers regarding the key elements of production technology for production of quality fruit and manage different diseases and insects by integrated approach.

Research Activities

Following are the research activities of the station:

• Evaluation of polyembryonic rootstocks for commercial mango cultivars of Punjab
• Survey for selection of promising mango strains
• Development of new mango varieties through selection among chance seedlings of commercial mango varieties
• Documentation and characterization of indigenous mango varieties according to mango descriptor FSCRD Islamabad
• Impact of sowing time on seedling health and vigor of nursery plants
• Effect of various spacings on mango nursery plants
• Optimization of pot and foliar application of NPK to mango nursery plants
• Development of new mango varieties by manual crossing technique
• Optimization of controlled pollination technique to facilitate mango breeding work
• Effects of foliar application of GA3 and NPK on vegetative growth of mango nursery plants
• Study the flowering response of different times of pruning in mango small tree system
• Screening of vegetative and reproductive growth in various mango cultivars in different mango small tree systems
• Standardization of water saving technique for traditional mango plants

Contact Us

Contact Us