Mangoes are a popular tropical fruit that are enjoyed by many people around the world. One of the questions that often arises when growing mangoes is whether or not they grow true to seed. In other words, will a mango tree grown from a seed produce fruit that is identical to the parent tree?
The answer to this question is that it depends. Mangoes are typically propagated by either grafting or budding onto a rootstock, as this method will ensure that the resulting tree will produce fruit that is true to the parent variety. However, if a mango tree is grown from seed, the resulting fruit may not be identical to the parent tree. This is because mangoes are typically propagated through a process called polyembryony, which means that each seed can contain multiple embryos. This results in mango trees that are genetically diverse and may produce fruit that is different from the parent tree.
However, it is also possible to grow a true-to-seed mango tree, but it requires more work. First, you must collect seed from a ripe fruit. Once collected, the seed needs to be cleaned of all the fruit flesh and dried. It’s important to plant the seed as soon as possible, because the seed lose their viability quickly. Once planted, the seed will usually germinate in about 3-4 weeks.
The young seedlings will be true to the parent tree, but it will take several years before the tree begins to produce fruit. The fruit produced by a seed-grown mango tree may be different in taste, size, and shape compared to the parent tree. However, it is also possible to get a seedling that is very similar to the parent tree.
Another thing to keep in mind is that seed-grown mangoes may take longer to fruit and may not be as productive as grafted or budded trees. Grafted trees will start bearing fruit in 2-3 years while seed-grown trees may take 5-7 years to fruit.
In conclusion, mangoes do not always grow true to seed. If you want to be sure that the fruit produced by your mango tree is identical to the parent tree, it is best to propagate the tree through grafting or budding. However, if you are willing to wait for several years and accept the possibility of variations in the fruit, growing a mango tree from seed can be a fun and rewarding experience.
