The Fairchild Tropical Garden mango genetic bank: a resource for future development.
Campbell R. J.
Author Affiliation: Fairchild Tropical Garden, 11935 Old Cutler Rd., Miami, FL 33156, USA.
Acta Horticulturae : 233-236
Abstract : Fairchild Tropical Garden in Miami, Florida, USA, currently has a mango (Mangifera indica) gene bank of over 150 cultivar accessions and 4 Mangifera species. The collection is diverse, representing all major mango-growing regions of the world, as well as recent releases of modern breeding programmes (e.g., Israel, South Africa). Propagation material is distributed freely (excluding cultivars with specific binding agreements with the source) to governments, educational institutions and private companies and growers throughout the world. In the last 5 years, propagation material has been distributed to over 30 countries. Investigations conducted within the collections concentrate on the characterization and comparison of cultivars, with a focus on their adaptation to Tropical America. The gene bank also contributes fruit, propagation material and original information for the annual Fairchild International Mango Festival, which has become an important source of up-to-date information on the mango in the Western Hemisphere. Improvement of the gene bank continues, with the aim of improving the diversity in terms of both the cultivars and Mangifera species.