Mango introduction in Florida and the 'Haden' cultivar's significance to the modern industry.
Knight R. J. Jr., Schnell R. J.
Author Affiliation: Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm Repository, Miami, FL 33158-1399, USA.
Economic Botany 48 : 139-145
Abstract : Mango (Mangifera indica) introductions to Florida began in 1861 with the importation of No. 11, a polyembryonic, seed-propagated (nucellar) cultivar from Cuba. In the 1880s, a collection of Cuban mangoes was established near Bradenton. One resulting popular cultivar was Turpentine, now widely used as a rootstock. The US Department of Agriculture introduced Mulgoba, an improved cultivar from India, in 1889. Other mangoes were later brought from India, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, Israel, Australia and Kenya. Related Mangifera species were collected in East Malaysian Borneo [Sarawak] in 1990. The large number of diverse genotypes introduced, together with the species' favourable breeding and adaptation, has made Florida a secondary centre of diversity for mango germplasm and enabled it to make a unique contribution to the fruit industry.