Mango breeding in India: Achievements and institutional contributions

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Breeding of mango (Mangifera indica L.) in India has advanced from early selection of superior seedlings to a well-organized hybridization program, facilitating high productivity and quality cultivars for different agro-climatic regions. Major traits like regular bearing, dwarfing or semi-dwarfing habit for high-density orchards, fiber-free pulp with good total soluble solids (TSS), firmness to prevent during transportation and storage, protracted shelf life, resistance/tolerance to diseases and pests. Breeding goals have lately included mostly varieties with a red blush, satisfying consumer’s aspiring taste change and trendy export market need for better eye-appeal to go along with firmness, storable capacity, and sugar-acid ratio. Hybrids have been developed in various regions of India to enhance adaptation, increase productivity, and improve resistance to stress. Dramatic changes are anticipated in the near future, driven by genomics, precision phenotyping, and crop enhancement technologies, including bioactive compound enrichment, to develop the next generation of cultivars. This work has led to a new range of planted-out hybrids that have built up efficiencies in orchards, in both domestic and export markets, preserving livelihoods while maintaining this diversity through a large-scale customization approach. The review attempts to summarize progress in mango breeding in India, from selection to targeted crossing that combines red blush appeal, high TSS, firmness, and shelf life with regular bearing, compact canopies for high-density orchards, along with emerging genomics-driven, climate-resilient, nutrient-enriched cultivars adapted for diverse agroclimatic conditions and export markets.