Mango Growing in Kenya by Juergen Griesbach Training Materials Coordinator

Kent

Kent is often mistaken for the quite similar looking cultivar Keitt but (just one difference) Kent matures earlier (March). The large fruit is greenish-yellow with a red or crimson blush on the shoulder. The average length measures 12.4 cm with a width of 9.7 cm and an average weight of 545 g. The fruit-shape is regular ovate with a rounded base and often with two slight beaks. The skin is thick and tough and small yellow lenticels are numerous; the flesh is juicy, melting, deep yellow, fibreless and of a rich flavour. The seed, embedded in a thick, woody stone (8.5% of fruit weight) is mono-embryonic.

The tree is large and vigorous, with a dense upright canopy, and it produces good yields in the late mid-season.

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  late maturity
  
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  fibreless and of excellent internal quality
  
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  fruits ship well
  

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  skin coloration is often inadequate
  
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  prone to storage diseases
  
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  may alternate in bearing
  

Madoe

The fruits resemble the local Apple cultivar but are much more resistant to anthracnose. They are medium to large in size, oval/oblique in shape with a rounded base and a slight beak. The average length measures 9.7 cm with a width of 10.7 cm, and the weight varies from 310–450 g (mean: 380 g). The skin colour is deep yellow/apricot with the shoulders showing a reddish flush. The yellow flesh is soft, tender and juicy, almost fibreless and of rich flavour.

The tree is moderately vigorous with a dense, rounded canopy.

It produces medium-heavy yields during mid-season and has a polyembryonic seed.

Advantages:

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  good anthracnose resistance
  
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  outstanding fruit quality
  
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  seed propagation is possible (polyembryonic)
  

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  not much known on the local market
  

Matthias

The medium-sized ovate fruit has a deep-yellow skin and its shoulders are blushed with red. There is only a slight beak; lenticels are at first green and later turn yellow. The average fruit dimensions are: length 10.3 cm and width 7.8 cm, with an average weight of 251 g. The firm yellow flesh is sweet, juicy and relatively free from fibres. There is a moderate resistance to anthracnose and powdery mildew.

The tree is of medium to large size and forms a dense canopy. Yields are heavy and regular.

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  moderate resistance to anthracnose and powdery mildew
  
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  propagation by both seed (polyembryonic) and grafting
  
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  regular bearer
  

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  more adaptation trials and more publicity are needed
  

Maya

The ovate and plump fruit is yellow with a reddish blush and is medium-sized. The average fruit length measures 10.3 cm with a width of 7.8 cm, and the weight ranges from 250–380 g (mean: 295 g). There is only a small rounded beak. Lenticels are white at first, changing to yellow/brown later. The firm yellow flesh is juicy and aromatic, virtually free from fibre and of high eating quality. The fairly large seed (9.2% of fruit weight) is mono-embryonic.

The tree is large and vigorous, tends to alternate bearing and is very susceptible to anthracnose.

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  resembles Haden
  
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  good to excellent eating quality
  

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  highly susceptible to anthracnose
  
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  danger of internal breakdown of fruit flesh
  

Ngowe

Ngowe is the most easily recognized of the local mango fruits. It is large, oblong and slender with a very prominent hook-like beak at the apex. From pale green, the fruit develops to a most attractive yellow to orange colour when ripe. The deep yellow flesh is of excellent quality, virtually free from fibre, melting, and carries no turpentine taste. The average fruit length measures 14 cm with a width of 9.5 cm, and a weight range of 425–600 g (mean: 523 g). The seeds are polyembryonic which means progeny develops more or less true-to-type.

The trees are comparatively small and round in shape. Depending on location, harvesting may start in November and continue until March. Yields are medium and alternate bearing may occur.

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  good to excellent fruit quality
  
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  moderate tree size
  
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  good shipper
  
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  seed propagation possible (polyembryonic)
  

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  susceptible to powdery mildew
  
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  tendency of alternate bearing