Lok Sabha Question No. 1552 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-09
Subject: Development of Climate Resilient Mango Varieties
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Parshottambhai Rupala

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH & EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1552

TO BE ANSWERED ON 9 TH  DECEMBER, 2025

## DEVELOPMENT OF CLIMATE RESILIENT MANGO VARIETIES

1552.   SHRI PARSHOTTAMBHAI RUPALA:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ षि और ककसान कल्याण मंत्री be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware that in recent years, early rainfall during the peak mango season have severely affected mango overall yield and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the  details  of  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  in  coordination  with  the  Indian Council  of  Agricultural  Research  (ICAR)  and  State  Agricultural  Universities,  to  promote research and development of off-season and climate-resilient mango varieties; and
- (c) whether any dedicated research centres or pilot projects have been established for developing off-season mango cultivation techniques and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ षि और ककसान कल्याण राज्य मंत्री (SHRI BHAGIRATH CHOUDHARY)

(a): The unseasonal rains have caused substantial yield reduction of mango across various regions  of  the  country.  Dry  weather  is  a  prerequisite  for  proper  flowering  and  fruit development in mango. Rains during flowering disrupt the pollinators' activity leads t o poor fruit  set  in  mango.  High  humidity  and  wet  condition  also  aggravate  the  diseases  like anthracnose,  powdery  mildew  and  blossom  blights  that  cause  considerable  reduction  in yield. Pest infestation is also aggravated due to early rains and the flowering is also delayed in many locations.  The extent of damage varied across regions depending on the severity, timing and duration of rainfall as well as the variety affected and impact of unseasonal and early rainfall which is given in Annexure .

(b): Different institutes of ICAR and State Agricultural Universities (SAUs) are working on climate resilient mango varieties. Arka Udaya has been developed by ICAR-Indian Institute of  Horticultural  Research, Bengaluru as climate resilient, which comes to fruiting in JulyAugust  in  Bengaluru  conditions.  The  fruits  are  medium  in  size  (200-250  g)  with  bunch bearing habit and better keeping quality (12-15 days). ICAR-Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture, Lucknow has developed and released climate resilient varieties CISH Arunika and Awadh Abhaya.  Awadh Abhaya is temperature tolerant and anthracnose tolerant. Both CISH Arunika and Awadh Abhaya escape heavy rainfall and matures in August. The latematuring  mango  hybrids  Pusa  Arunima  and  Pusa  Shreshtha  developed  by  ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi tolerate anthracnose and unseasonal rain and climate change-associated adversities.

(c): In the recent past efforts have been made to identify, collect and conserve the multiseason flowering and fruiting varieties in Andhra Pradesh (var. Royal Special / Punasa), Tamil Nadu (var. Kurukkan & Neelum), Goa and Gujarat (var. Bajarang) to get good market price during the off season (September -February). Several multi-season flowering local accessions have also been reported from Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

A  research  project  on  'Understanding  the  mechanism  of  off -season  flowering  and fruiting in mango under different environmental conditions', conducted with the support of National  Agricultural  Innovation  Project  (NAIP),  ICAR,  New  Delhi,  also  identified  10 promising off- season clones, 6 commercial varieties and 4 farmers varieties in Kanyakumari for  off-season  production.  Neelum,  Kalepad  and  Totapuri  have  produced  flowering  and fruiting  in  off-season  at  Kanyakumari.  Sporadic  and  Sparse  off-season  flowering  was identified in Totapuri, Punasa, Niranjan and Royal Special in Karanataka. West Coast of Konkan was identified for off-season flowering and success in advancing 2.5 month mango season was possible with paclobutrazol application (15 May -15 June) in Konkan region.

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## Annexure

## [Part (a) of Lok Sabha USQ No. 1552 dated 9 TH  DECEMBER, 2025]

## State-Year-Impact-Remedy format

|   Sl. No. | State (AICRP Centre)            | Year(s) of Occurrence   | Impact on Mango Crop                                                                                                                  | Remedial / Mitigation Measures                                                                                                            |
|-----------|---------------------------------|-------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|         1 | Bihar (Sabour)                  | 2020 (Feb-Mar)          | 10-13% yield reduction in cv. Langra; increased blossom blight during flowering                                                       | Spray Carbendazim + Mancozeb @ 2 g/l before flowering (two sprays at 10-day interval)                                                     |
|         2 | Gujarat (Paria)                 | 2020-21 to 2024-25      | Poor flowering, low fruit set, premature fruit drop; increased pest & disease incidence due to off-season rainfall and cyclonic rains | Timely fungicide/pesticide sprays; advisories issued; fallen mature fruits utilised for processing                                        |
|         3 | Jharkhand (Ranchi)              | 2025                    | 12-16% yield loss due to fruit fly infestation, sooty mould and fruit blackening (cv. Amrapali)                                       | Fruit bagging, fruit fly traps, proper pruning and package of practices                                                                   |
|         4 | Maharashtra (Vengurle & Rahuri) | 2023-2025               | Low flowering and yield loss due to rains in January & May; early and erratic rainfall                                                | Fungicide sprays (Hexaconazole, Sulphur); timely advisory to farmers                                                                      |
|         5 | Manipur (Imphal)                | Annual (Jun-Jul)        | Sooty mould and non- attractive fruit skin appearance. However yield mostly unaffected                                                | Spray neem oil @2ml/l and fermented rice water (organic practice)                                                                         |
|         6 | Tamil Nadu (Periyakulam)        | 2023-2025               | Severe flower drop and pest/disease incidence; yield loss: 32-35% (2023), 75-80% (2024), 46-55% (2025)                                | Spray Urea/KNO ₃ for flowering; NAA/KNO ₃ for fruit retention; Paclobutrazol; fungicide and insecticide sprays; field advisory programmes |

|   Sl. No. | State (AICRP Centre)    | Year(s) of Occurrence   | Impact on Mango Crop                                                                               | Remedial / Mitigation Measures                                                                                     |
|-----------|-------------------------|-------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|         7 | Telangana (Sangareddy)  | Last 5 years            | 40-50% loss due to prolonged rainfall and waterlogging                                             | Improve drainage; prune damaged branches; spray KNO ₃ /Urea; pest & disease monitoring; fungicide sprays           |
|         8 | Tripura (Lembucherra)   | 2021-2025               | 10-20% annual loss from pre-monsoon showers, storms and hail                                       | Plant dwarf variety (Amrapali); create drainage channels; windbreaks and bunds                                     |
|         9 | Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow) | 2023-2025               | 3-6% yield loss due to shoulder browning & anthracnose; panicle damage by storms                   | Fruit bagging (10-25% area); spray difenoconazole @ 0.05%                                                          |
|        10 | Uttarakhand (Pantnagar) | 2021-2025               | 10-50% reduction in severely affected orchards due to pest/disease pressure, flower & fruit damage | Improve ventilation (pruning); remove infected debris; maintain drainage; eco- friendly sprays; regular monitoring |

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