Scientists develop seedless mangoes

Patna: First came seedless grapes. Now, Indian scientists have developed what could be the ultimate delicacy - a seedless mango which is finely textured and juicy, with a rich, sweet and distinctive flavour when mature.

"We have developed a seedless mango variety from hybrids of mango varieties Ratna and Alphonso," V.B. Patel, chairman of the horticulture department at the Bihar Agriculture University (BAU) at Sabour in Bhagalpur district, told IANS.

Trials of the new variety, named Sindhu, are under way at different locations in the country but the result of the one at BAU suggests it could be suitable for both integrated horticulture and kitchen gardening. "We are happy and enthuastic as well as confident and hopeful of improving the seedless mango variety," Patel said.

He said that an average fruit weighs 200 grams and its pulp, which is yellowish in colour, has less fibre than other mango varieties.

He said the trials of the Sindhu variety, originally developed at the regional fruit research station of the Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth at Dapoli in Maharashtra's Konkan region, has thrown up good fruiting on a three-year-old plant this year. It generally grows in bunch and the fruit matures in the middle of July.