The very first successful soil transfer of tissue-cultured mangoes (Mangifera indica) var. Carabao was achieved last July 2009 by a group of scientists led by Prof. Lilian F. Pateņa, Associate Professor at the College of Agriculture, University of the Philippines Los Baņos (UPLB).

Photo courtesy of www.mariangoland.com

Plant tissue culture is a process used to propagate plants under sterile conditions. Different tissue culture techniques offer advantages over traditional methods of propagation. According to Pateña, although mangoes are easy to propagate, the fruit still needs further improvement in skin thickness, shelf life, and size.

However, before any genetic engineering can be done, a successful and efficient tissue culture system must be put in place. As such, her team aimed to develop a tissue culture system for mango, which can be used for genetic engineering, micropropagation, generation of variability, and in vitro conservation.

The tissue culture system for mango via somatic embryogenesis was developed within a year. In 2007, the team's experiments showed that germinated somatic embryos with cotyledonary leaves produced initial shoots which subsequently developed into plantlets with true leaves. The challenge back then was how to transfer these plantlets into the soil – soil transfer is very crucial in determining the success of tissue culture.

Thus, different acclimatization treatments were conducted to transfer plantlets in the soil. Direct transfer exhibited low survival. After continuous experiments and three years of hard work, mango ex-vitro grafting showed potential for growth with 2-4 weeks acclimatization under controlled environment. Ex vitro grafts produced new shoots in 14-27 days.

Pateña and her team take pride in the fact that more than developing the tissue culture protocol for mangoes; they were also able to devise the system for its successful soil transfer. This breakthrough opens new opportunities for mango improvement through biotechnology.

Carabao mango ranks third among the Philippines' fresh fruit exports (next to banana and pineapple). The country is the sixth world producer of carabao mangoes with major markets in Hongkong and Japan.

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Report based on Agriculture and Development Seminar Series (ADSS) presentation of Prof. Lilian F. Pateña entitled “Tissue Culture of Mango Var. Carabao” held on 29 September 2009.