Mango (Mangifera indica L.) introduction and evaluation in Florida and its impact on the world industry.
Knight R. J., Schnell R. J.
Author Affiliation: USDA-ARS, National Clonal Germplasm Repository, 13601 Old Cutler Road, Miami, FL 33158, USA.
: 125-135
Abstract : Historical information is provided on the introduction of mango into Florida. The first surviving introductions entered Florida from the West Indies in 1861. The first improved Indian cultivar grown in Florida was Mulgoba, introduced by the USDA in 1889. Subsequently, additional cultivars were introduced from India, Vietnam and the Philippines, and more recently Thailand and Israel. The mango's breeding system favours outcrossing, thus the proximity of numerous genotypes of disparate geographic origin has made Florida a secondary center of diversity for this crop. Haden, a seedling of Mulgoba that probably arose from cross-pollination with Turpentine, was introduced in 1912 and gave impetus to the establishment of a commercial mango industry in Florida. Haden was exported to Hawaii, Central America, Brazil, Venezuela and Israel. Since 1945, Haden has been superseded in trade by the more reliable Tommy Atkins (a Haden seedling) and other cultivars.