THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A light red tint on the yellow-green skin makes this stout beauty appear to be blushing. After all, this ‘king of fruits’ has emerged as a star among nature-lovers. The huge tree near the English department on the Kerala University College campus in Palayam, Thiruvananthapuram, stands tall in glory as its unique mangoes have been named ‘KU Mambazham’. Each of these mango varieties weighs about 1kg and has more flesh and flat seeds, making it pulpier than others.
The 70ft-tall tree was noted as part of a research survey, ‘Nattu Maavu’, conducted by PhD scholar Manoj M R, under the guidance of Prof A Gangaprasad, director, Centre for Biodiversity Conservation (CBC), Kariyavattom.
The research team has so far documented over 40 rare varieties of mangoes in the state. “The CBC is a conservatory of various endemic as well as exotic varieties of plants,” explains Gangaprasad. “With more than 400 species of plants brought in from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the Western Ghats, the CBC, along with the botany department, has been working over the past two years in preserving plant species. The mango tree on the Kerala University campus is one of its kind; we have not come across a similar variety anywhere else in Kerala.”
Gangaprasad says the tree is estimated to be over 350 years old, based on its 4.2m circumference. Currently, he adds, the CBC is analysing the mango’s fibre content. Notably, besides analysis of rare plant species, CBC and the botany department manage more than three acres, which includes gardens of rare medicinal plants, and indigenous varieties of mango and jackfruit trees. “This special mango variety has caught public attention and we plan to preserve it,” says Gangaprasad.
He adds that his team has already prepared about 50 grafted ‘KU Mambazham’ saplings, which would be distributed after three months to the public. “The scion is cut with a sharp grafting knife. To form a wedge, it is cut on both sides of the stem,” says Gangaprasad, elaborating on the grafting process.
“The scion is inserted into the root stock’s wedge-shaped cut at the top. The graft is wrapped in plastic grafting tape and placed in the shade for 10-30 days for the shoot to grow.”