Mango varieties
Green eating

Ian Bally, Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries.
 

In Australia, mangoes have traditionally been eaten as a dessert fruit, when they are soft and ripe. In recent years the consumption of hard green, mature mangoes in traditional Asian cuisine has increased, resulting in the development of a significant niche market. Many current mango varieties, (KP, R2E2, Keitt) prized as ripe eating fruit, do not necessarily make the best green eating varieties. Many Asian mango varieties have been especially selected for their superior green eating characteristics, while others can be eaten ripe or green. This note introduces the green eating varieties and their characteristics.

Green eating mango varieties are distinguished from others by their flavour at the hard green mature stage. The flavour of most dessert mangoes at this stage is starchy and sour. Green eating fruit are generally sweet without a starchy flavour at the green mature stage.

Green eating mangoes can be served in several ways. They can be sliced or grated fresh in salads, pickled (ma mung dong in Thai), soaked in water and sugar (ma mung chaein), salted and dried (ma mung khem), sliced in vinegar or fish sauces (ma mung nam pla wa arn), or eaten as a fruit.

Keow Savoey

Origin: Thailand

Synonyms: Kaiew Sawei, Kaow Sawoey, Khao Savoey, Kiew Sa Waei, Khiew Savoy, Kyo Savoy, Khieo Sawoei

Fruit Description: Keow Savoey is an oblong dark green fruit weighing between 170 and 390 grams with a polyembryonic seed.

Comments: In the Thai language Keow means green and Savoey means eat. This variety is considered the best of the green eating varieties in Thailand where it is prized for its crunchy flesh texture and nutty sweet flavour. It is mainly used as a green salad vegetable. When ripe Keow Savoey has a very soft, green/yellow, semi-translucent pulp with overripe flavours.

Falan

Origin: Thailand

Synonyms: Falan, Thunder

Fruit description: Falan is a green, oblong shape fruit with no blush and a polyembryonic seed. Falan is a medium to small tree with an open canopy.

Comments: Falan is another popular green eating variety in Thailand. Falan when translated into English means Thunder. This variety is given its name because of its tendency, when mature, to split after a thunder storm or heavy rain. Because of this, it should not be picked in rainy weather and irrigation should be turned off before harvest. Falan has a milder flavour than Keow Savoey and is generally eaten as slices in vinegar or fish sauces (mamung nam pla wa arn). In northern Thailand, this variety is induced to produce out of season fruit with potassium nitrate and Paclobutrazol (Cultar®).

Rad

Origin: Thailand

Synonyms: Rade, Rhino, Ai Rad, and Rhinoceros

Fruit description: Rad is green oblong shaped fruit without any blush. The fruit has an average fruit weight of 220 grams and has a polyembryonic seed.

Comments: Rad is a dual-purpose variety, being eaten green, or as ripe a fruit. Rad translated in to English means Rhino. It is given this name because the fruit frequently has a horn like protrusion protruding from the top half of the fruit. Thailand exports this variety to Japan. Rad has a slight sour flavour when eaten green and is very sweet as a ripe fruit.

Lin Ngo Hou

Origin: Thailand

Synonyms: Cobra Tongue

Fruit description: Lin Ngo Hou is dark green in colour and has a strong bitter sweet flavour when eaten green. The fruit is thin with a distinctive elongate "S" shape and polyembryonic seed.

Comments: Similar in shape to the variety Cedar bay.

Nan Klangwan

Origin: Thailand

Synonyms: Elephants tusk, Nang Klang Wan, Nangsangwon, MG 184, Nga Chan, Nuwun Chan, Hong Xiang, Ya-9

Fruit description: Nan Klangwan is an elongate green fruit, with a curved tapering tip and polyembryonic seed. The fruit have an average weight of 300 grams, with a mild flavour. Nan Klangwan is a medium to large tree with a dense spreading canopy.

Comments: Nan Klangwan is exported to Japan from Thailand. This variety is grown widely throughout East Asia, hence the abundance of synonyms. Nan Klangwan is also eaten ripe.

Cedar Bay

Origin: South East Asia

Synonyms: Raboul, Golek, New Guinea long, Foo Fat, Ma 162

Fruit description: Cedar bay is an elongate green fruit with a polyembryonic seed. Fruit can be quite large, weighing up to 800 grams, with an average weight of 490 grams.

Comments: This variety or types very similar to it, are grown in many Asian countries and consumed as green eating fruit. The fruit is popular in many of the street markets in North Queensland.

Pim Sane Mun

Origin: Thailand

Fruit description: This variety is green in colour with no blush. It is elongate in shape.

Comments: Mun means Fatty. This cultivar has one of the strongest nutty flavours among the green eating types. Pim Sane Mun tends to produce many nubbins in the cooler growing regions. In Thailand the nubbins are sold in the local markets as seedless mangoes.

Brooks

Origin: Florida USA

Synonyms: Brooks late

Fruit description: Brooks is an ovate shaped fruit with a green/yellow skin colour. Fruit weigh between 300 and 800 grams.

Comments: Brooks has not traditionally been eaten as a green eating mango. In Australia, the fruit are consumed both as green and ripe fruit. Brooks generally sets regularly and well, however, it often produces many nubbins. This variety is sometimes used for pickling.

Xoai Tuong

Origin: Vietnam

Synonyms: Elephant, Cat Xoai Tuong

Fruit description: Xoai Tuong is an oblong shaped mango weighing between 600 and 800 grams and has a polyembryonic seed. When eaten green the pulp is crisp with low fibre, covered with a medium thick green skin without any blush. The fruit has a strong sour flavour. Xoai Tuong is a large vigorous tree.

Comments: This is the most popular green eating variety in Vietnam. It is reputedly resistant to anthracnose, but does suffer from most insect pests. Xoai means mango and Tuong means elephant in Vietnamese.

Nam Doc Mai

Origin: Thailand

Synonyms: Nam Dog Mai, Nam Docmai,

Fruit description: Nam Doc Mai is an oblong shaped mango weighing between 250 and 400 grams. The fruit is a elongate shape with white green skin that develops a pink blush when exposed to the sun. The seed is polyembryonic.

Comments: Nam Doc Mai is generally not eaten as a green fruit in Thailand. However harvested for green eating it is best picked when the skin takes on a whitish green colour. In Australia most Nam Doc Mai grown are sold as green eating fruit.

Other green eating varieties

In addition to the green eating varieties described above, the following varieties are also eaten green. Some may not be available in Australia.

• Nuwan Chan
• Duncan
• Nong Sang
• Saiphon
• Tekin
• Tuong
• Hong Sa
• Gaylour
• New Guinea Long
• Sungi Siput
• Gow
• Mun
• Lin Ngo Hou
• Lebmue Dang
• Maha Janka
• Tong Dum
• Ivory
• Keow
• Ngot

Synonyms

Many of the green eating mangoes of Asian origin are grown in a number of countries. Consequently, the same or similar varieties are often known by several different names. In some cases the translation and spelling of Asian names into English has also been a cause of confusion. The most recognised synonyms of varieties have been included in the descriptions in this pamphlet.

Harvesting

Green eating mangoes are harvested when the fruit are fully grown but have not yet begun to ripen. Some buyers will take less mature fruit from 3/4 size onwards.

Propagation

Most of the Asian green eating varieties of mango are polyembryonic, and can be propagated by seed. Those with monoembryonic seed have to be grafted as the seed will not produce seedlings which fruit true to type. Grafting of mono and polyembryonic varieties generally shortens the juvenile period and reduces the time from planting to cropping.

Marketing and consumer demand

In Asia green eating mangoes are either consumed in their country of origin or exported to other Asian countries. In Australia the market is currently limited to Asian restaurants and various Chinatown areas of the major cities. The wider Australian population has not yet been educated in the consumption of green mangoes. Currently no green eating varieties of mangoes are exported.

Glossary

Dry Tropics	Townsville, Burdekin and Bowen region.
Flushing	Periodic growth.
Lenticels	Pores in the skin of the frugit.
Monoembryonic	Single embryo in seed, producing a seedling that is a genetic cross between the mother tree and pollen.
Ovate	Egg-shaped
Panicle	Branched flower spike with many flowers
Polyembryonic	Seed with multiple embryos, producing seedlings that are genetically identical to parent tree.

Further information

Agrilink Mango Information Kit provides information on all aspects of growing and marketing mangoes in Queensland. It is available from the Agrilink website or office (phone 1800 677 640) or the DPI&FShop On-line.

DPI&F Business Information Centre on 13 25 23 - local call 8 am to 6 pm Monday to Friday (non-Queensland residents phone 07 3404 6999). E-mail: callweb@dpi.qld.gov.au

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Information contained in this publication is provided as general advice only. For application to specific circumstances, professional advice should be sought. The Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Queensland has taken all reasonable steps to ensure the information in this publication is accurate at the time of publication. Readers should ensure that they make appropriate inquiries to determine whether new information is available on the particular subject matter.

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Last updated 5 February 2004