Azeem Ahmed Khan

Mango malformation disease poses the biggest threat to mango production in Pakistan and must be tackled on a priority basis to boost yield and exports, the fruit’s growers have demanded.

It is a significant challenge in global mango production, leading to substantial economic losses for farmers. It poses a major obstacle in mango-producing countries, including Pakistan, India, Australia, Brazil, Cuba, Israel, Mexico, South Africa, the United States, Bangladesh, the Sultanate of Oman, Spain, and Sudan. “Mango malformation significantly hampers production as this fungal disease causes abnormal growth of shoots and flowers in nearly all mango varieties,” Zafar Mahay, President Mango Growers Association, Multan, said.

Talking to WealthPK, he warned that the disease weakens trees by draining their nutrients during dormancy, making them unfit for fruition. “The disease spreads rapidly, and as the tree reaches the flowering stage, it also attracts harmful insects that not only damage fruit production, but also harm the tree itself. Farmers have no choice but to cut off affected branches, which reduces production,” Mahay lamented. “If the infected chopped branch falls to the ground, the disease penetrates the plant through the soil and resurfaces in other trees,” he believed.

“Mango malformation affects every tree in an orchard and damages up to 50% of the flowers, drastically reducing fruit production,” Mahay complained. He observed that any delay in removing infected branches causes all mangoes on that branch to fall prematurely. “This disease is so destructive that it is like a bomb hitting orchards every year for the past many decades,” Mahay remarked. Highlighting another major challenge for mango growers, he noted that mango trees flower in March and April, coinciding with the wheat harvest.

“During this period, most farm labourers are engaged in wheat cultivation, leaving no workforce available to remove infected branches from mango trees. This labour shortage not only reduces mango production but also stunts tree growth,” he added. The growers’ leader urged researchers to develop an effective remedy to eradicate this disease. “Only a research institute can resolve this issue by inventing a suitable fungicide,” he asserted.

Meanwhile, Mir Amanullah Khan Talpur, another prominent farmer from the Umar Kot district of Sindh, acknowledged that no treatment exists for this fungal disease, which spreads rapidly in humid conditions. “Farmers rely on management methods to combat it,” he added. “Infected trees develop small leaves that cluster together, attracting harmful insects,” Talpur explained. He said he burns or buries infected branches far away from orchards to prevent insects from spreading the disease.

“Labourers are hired to trim branches as soon as symptoms appear,” he added. “Malformation not only reduces mango production but also affects fruit quality, making exports impossible,” Talpur said, and suggested growing shorter trees to facilitate branch removal and insecticide spraying. He emphasised that the export market offers lucrative returns. “While mangoes sell for only Rs150 per kilogramme in Pakistan, a single mango can fetch Rs2,000 abroad,” he noted.

However, he criticised the government for its ‘lack’ of agricultural focus. “Export obstacles must be addressed,” he urged, pointing out that Punjab contributes 65% to agriculture, Sindh 28%, with the remainder from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. Muhammad Imran, Scientific Officer of Plant Pathology at the Mango Research Institute, Multan, confirmed to WealthPK that malformation affects all mango orchards and varieties in Pakistan.

He stated that Sindhri, the leading export variety, faces the biggest threat. Imran explained that no cure currently exists for malformation, and farmers can only manage it through three techniques, which are common in all mango-growing countries. He recommended applying fungicide in August and September to prevent spore liberation. He also advised cutting the infected or malformed branches twice each mango season.

Additionally, farmers should remove the infected branches about six inches away from the infected portion to prevent the spread of fusarium to new branches. Imran stressed that farmers should not leave malformed branches unattended. “Instead, they must either burn or bury them underground, away from the orchard, to avoid contaminating healthy plants. Dry branches are particularly dangerous due to their higher ability to release spores.”

He noted that pruning is done regularly in mango-growing countries, but in Pakistan, the lack of pruning allows trees to intermingle. “This causes spores from one tree to affect others, while the thick branches block sunlight, increasing the risk of fungal infection,” he added. Imran also emphasised the importance of sanitising pruning tools to prevent contamination of healthy trees.

He urged farmers to protect new vegetative growth from spores, as damage to this growth can affect the flowering panicles. “Farmers must overcome these weaknesses in their malformation management to contain this disease,” he advised.

Credit: INP-WealthPk