History and Origin of Mango

History and Origin of Mango
The mango has been known in India since very early times. It is referred to in Sanskrit literature as Amra and has been under cultivation by man for over 4000 years.

It appears, however, that Hsiian-tsang, one of the early travelers to India (632-645), was the first person to bring mango to the notice of people outside India.

This fruit occupied an important place in horticulture during the rule of the Mogul emperors in India, and Akbar the Great (1556-1605) planted an orchard of 100,000 mango trees.

The origin of most o the improved varieties in India have been traced to those days, and the encyclopedia Ain-e-Akbari (1590 AD) contains a good account of the mango regarding its quality and varietal characteristics.

Phytogeographical data studies of the phylogenetic taxonomy of species of Mangifera indicate that this genus originated in the Indo-Burma region.

Most of the cultivated varieties have arisen from four main species – Mangifera indica, Mangifera sylvatica, Mangifera odorata, and Mangifera zeylanica.

Mango cultivation is found in many countries of Southeast Asia – the Philippines, Indonesia, Java, Thailand, Burma, Malaysia and Sri Lanka.

Introduction of the mango to East and West Africa and subsequently to Brazil is said to have occurred in the sixteenth century.

Mexico acquired the mango in the nineteenth century, and it entered Florida in 1833. The cultivated mango varieties are the result of constant selection by man from original wild plants for over 4000 years.

The wild progenies are still available in India in two species, Mangifera indica and Mangifera sylvatica, which have small fruits with a big stone, thin acidic flesh and long fibers.

The knowledge of vegetative preparation gained in the sixteenth century made it possible to produce a large number of cultivars which were far superior to the wild forms.

This fruit have little fiber, and are sweet in taste with more flesh.
History and Origin of Mango