The right cultural practices such as proper irrigation, careful care of young trees, scientific care of mature trees, organic fertilization and timely control of pests and diseases, coupled with top quality soils and ideal climatic conditions, yield large, smooth and a pliable product.

Irrigation: Timely irrigation is the key to success. Mangosa has mastered the management of the irrigation system well. Low precipitation levels and even tropical temperatures throughout the year grant the Company the opportunity to manage vegetative growth by controlling the new flushes Mangosa induces into flowering. This enables the Company to harvest its fruit at any time of the year, which Mangosa times to coincide with the moments when prices are at their peak on any particular market.

The fact that Mangosa is able to feed each tree with the precise amount of water it needs, along with the ability to monitor and provide just the right mix of minerals to each plant during its development, provides the Company with an immense advantage. The combination of a technically sophisticated and well-managed operation gives the Company a sharp advantage over other mangos or agricultural operations anywhere in the world. The result is a high quality product that can be put on the market at the precise moment when worldwide production is at its lowest.

Irrigation is started at Fatima as soon as the dry season begins in order to assure good, healthy and maximum setting of flowering and development of the fruit. Irrigation is continued once a week. Its irrigation needs are met by the “Rio Viejo” river, which borders its property. There is also the Nicaraguan national irrigation system canal that crosses the farm from north to south. In exchange for cutting though its farm, Mangosa has contracted rights of access to the first 20,000-gallon per minute supplied by this canal. Water is channeled to its pumping stations, which pumps water either to its micro-sprinklers or to its drip irrigation system. In addition to the river water Mangosa has 7 emergency deep wells to assure an irrigation cycle of 7 days for the entire plantation. These 7 new wells were perforated in 2002 on an average of 200 feet deep with an average flow of 1,000 gallons of water per minute. Besides t he drip irrigation system which is installed in the area surrounding the mango plantation, Mangosa also has gravity operated irrigation system that covers 100 hectares and which includes 8 kilometers of canals and a system of irrigation and ferti-irrigation (micro-sprinklers) that currently covers 233 hectares. Each mango tree has a sprinkler underneath it supplying it with the correct level of moisture. Thus Mangosa has two different irrigation systems, one being the micro-sprinklers which are installed under each mango tree and the other one is the drip irrigation system allowing the Company to control the exact level of water and fertilization needed by the plant.

In addition, Mangosa has 3 artesian wells within its property to complement its water needs. The water from the old artesian wells is used to supply the needs of the Packinghouse installations, for fire protection equipment and the chemical applications. The waterbed is found at only 6 meters of depth. Mangosa has a reservoir with enough holding capacity to irrigate 150 hectares for a period of 5 days, in case of emergencies. This reservoir is replenished daily. All the wells are interconnected with the irrigation canal system from the river in order to allow the farm to use either supply of water as needed. The entire 600 manzanas of mango trees are equipped with micro sprinkler water but in addition Mangosa has irrigation facilities in the 110 manzanas of an adjacent farm used for diversification of crops. Another 180 manzanas are being conditioned for drop irrigation for future use.

Fertilization: Precise fertilization is very important. Mango trees require regular applications of nitrogen fertilizer to promote heal-thy growth flushes and to induce flower production. Mangosa applies micronutrients and foliar fertilizers by fogging micro sprayers but also in the drip drop irrigation water since the trees are subject to fertilizer burn. Young trees are particularly sensitive to over-fertilization.

Young Tree Establishment: Newly planted trees are watered two or three times the first week, then once twice per week for several weeks. Fertilization is delayed until new growth occurs after transplanting, then it is applied monthly during the first year. Mangosa either scatters the fertilizer on the ground under the tree or applies it through irrigation water.

Well taken Care pruned mango Trees to Allow the Sun to
Sweeten the Fruit and Give a Red Blush Color to the Skin

Grass and weeds are eliminated for several feet around the young mango, as the tree cannot compete for water and nutrients until it is much larger. As the tree grows, the grass-free area is widened beyond the canopy.

This Machine Allows for
Efficent Pruning of Mango Trees

Mature Tree Care : Cultural practices are designed to maintain good growth and production. Pruning, irrigation, nutrition and weed and grass control are the main practices in mature mango tree care.

Propagation: Seeds are planted to produce stems for grafting. The husks is removed from the seeds and planted in plastic containers before it dries out with the hump at soil level. The seeds normally germinate in about two weeks. Grafting is made with the variety desired and kept in the nursery until ready for transplanting in its permanent location.  

Pests and Diseases: Scale, mealy bugs and mites are frequent pests in the greenhouse and orchard. In the greenhouse, trees often turn leaves rusty brown. Malathion ® is the conventional spray for insect pests; sulfur works on mites. Gophers are attracted to the roots. The flower panicles, young fruit and leaves are subject to powdery mildew, especially in rainy weather or frequent fog. A spray of powdered kelp at bud break will often control it. Sodium bicarbonate and fungicide sprays are also effective. Trees planted in pavement openings seldom develop mildew.

Bacterial spot ( Colletotrichum oleosporides ) distorts and turns developing leaves black and disfigures developing fruit. Infection may spread to fresh young growth. Anthracnose is controlled with bimonthly applications of copper spray or Captan ® as a growth flush begins, and until the flowers open. Resume spraying when the fruits begin to form. Mango trees are very sensitive to root loss that can occur from digging, transplanting or gopher damage. "Soft nose", a physical disorder of shriveling at the fruit apex, seems associated with excessive nitrogen in soil. Exposed fruits sunburn in high temperatures.

Horticultural Problems: The largest problem of mango plantations is anthracnose because it attacks all parts of the tree and is probably most damaging to the flower panicles. On maturing fruit, the fungus causes irregular black spots that may be sunken slightly and show surface cracks. A grouping of spots forms a large, damaged area. Tear streaking is common, resulting from fungal spores that wash down the fruit from infected twigs or flower stalks. However, it develops in arid climates and is not a problem for Mangosa The disease can be controlled with fungicides.

Mites and scale insects can attack mango trees, but they rarely limit growth or production unless populations build to high levels.