REX A. RIVERA, Agronomist1.Distance mango far apart to allow full sunlight and free flow of air. (20x20 meters quincunx will give 50 hills per hectare.)
2.Practice clean culture. Keep weeds and grasses short. Grow creeping leguminous cover crop to protect soil and beneficial microorganisms.
3.Cultivate and plow the soil at least once a year to aerate and prune off roots at the surface that are sensitive to heat and dry spell.
4.Drench with BMO (Beneficial Micro Organism) and HOC (Herbal Organic Concentrate) the compost and organic materials. Spread organic fertilizer and decompose farm waste before plowing and cultivation so the organic materials will be incorporated in the soil.
5.Prune and remove diseased and infested branches and other plant parts and bring debris to compost pile. Chop are shred them to small pieces for faster decomposition. The compost pile is drench with BMO and covered.
6.Provide enough water and keep soil moisture adequate at all times. Cover crops and mulching will help maintain soil moisture especially during summer months. However, less moisture is required two (2) weeks before flower induction and one (1) month during fruit maturation (100 to 130 days from flower induction.
7.When the leaves are mature and the flower buds are ready evidence by plump and pointed bud tips (about 7 to 9 months from flushing), the tree may by induced to flower. The types of natural flower induction are:
a.Smudging or smoking the tree.
b.Spraying Herbal and Mineral concentrate (Substitute to KNO3)
8.Before and after flower induction, drench the whole tree from soil, trunk, branches to the leaves with HOC-4n1 (Herbal Organic Concentrate) to drive away insect pest especially mango hoppers to prevent them from laying eggs on emerging flower after bud break.
9.The most critical period on mango production is from flower induction up to 45 day the period of flowering, blooming, and fruit formation and development.
10.Smoking and spraying HOC every 3 to 5 days up to 18 days from flower induction will greatly help in repelling insect pest and curing diseases. Do not spray or disturb the flowers during bloom and pollination. Insect pollinators should be encouraged to come. This is at 20 to 40 days after flower induction.
11.If it rains during the flowering and fruit formation, Spray HOC-3n1 (Fungicide) immediately after the rain. Gently shake branches to remove water droplets on flowers as this is a good medium for growth and development of anthracnose and other fungal diseases.
12.At 45 to 90 days Spray HOC-4n1 and HOC-GO alternately once a week to help in fruit development and prevent insect infestation.
13.At 60 to 70 days bag the good fruits candidate for export. Leave alone the partly damaged or deformed fruits as these will be for domestic market or for processing. This will greatly reduce your bagging cost and labor expense.
14.Allow the fruits to fully mature at 120 to 130 days to gain full sweetness and aromatic odor. Fully mature fruits command a better price.
15.Before harvesting, see to it that you have all the harvesting tools, equipment, containers and a packing shed close or within the farm.
16.Give proper instructions and guidance to your workers and harvesters before sending them off to harvest. Make them remember that every single fruit has value and they should handle them with care, avoiding bumps and bruising.
17.Have a separate group of workers, especially trained to sort, grade, package and scale the fruits. Another group at the packing house will do the washing, hot water dip treatment, air drying, final sorting or grading, packing and weighing to be transported to market destinations.
18.After harvest, a new cycle of tree management start. This will be the rejuvenation stage from post harvest to flower induction. A period of 7 to 9 months.
19.The trees are prunes and sanitized by clearing the surrounding and drenching the whole tree with HOC-4n1.
20.Spread the organic fertilizer and decompose farm waste materials.
21.Plow under and cultivate the soil from under and outside canopy cover. Follow this by harrowing to pulverize and level the soil.
22.Water the trees and spray HOC-GO to initiate new flushing. Two to four new shoots will emerge which will be potential bearing buds.
23.During flushing, spray HOC-4n1 at 5 to 7 days interval. The young leaves are very susceptible to anthracnose infection and insect pest attack being soft and tender.
24.Provide adequate water at all times, and keep down the weeds by slashing.
25.Monitor the trees until they are ready for another flower induction.
End of cycle
Other Interventions:
1.Preferably, intercrop between mango trees with low growing high value seasonal crops such as vegetables, grain, legumes, root crops and spices.
2.Maintain a mini forest for bird sanctuary and other wild life and bio diversity to complement the needed balance of nature ecosystem.
3.Grow a wide range of herbal plants that will help in pest and disease control.
4.Raise poultry and livestock to augment your farm income and provide you with rich animal waste for organic fertilizer conversion.
5.Avoid as much as possible burning and application of toxic chemicals as this will kill the beneficial life in the soil and in the farm.
6.Visit your farm regularly. The foot prints of the owner are the best fertilizer.
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