Flower induction tech revolutionizes mango industry

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna, Philippines – The flower induction technology developed by a noted Filipino plant scientist continues to revolutionize the Philippine and the world’s – mango industry.

The technology was crafted by Dr. Ramon C. Barba who, although now retired as professor and scientist of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), has continued to devote his life to scientific activities to this day.

Through the research breakthrough, which is considered worldwide as the most important discovery in mango, a mango tree can be induced to flower and bear fruits any time of the year by spraying it with one percent potassium nitrate.

Since the technology was developed by Dr. Barba in 1974, it has been widely adopted in the Philippines, as well as in Asia and Latin America.

It has earned for him numerous awards, the latest being the 2011 Dioscero L. Umali Achievement Award for Agricultural Development in Southeast Asia. The prestigious award was named in honor of Dr. Umali, a National Scientist, dean of the UPLB College of Agriculture, founding director of the UPLB-based Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), and assistant director general for Asia and the Pacific of the United Nations-Food and Agriculture Organization (UN-FAO).

Dr. Barba recalled that before 1974, mango was commercially neglected and remained a minor fruit that generated little revenue because of its seasonal, biennial (once in two years), and erratic fruiting cycle. Smudging (smoking) trees to force flowering was costly and unreliable.

He started explo-ratory experiments in late December 1969 at the Quimara Farm in San Jose del Monte (Bulacan) of a friend, Jose Quimson. The farm had 500 trees that were already 10 years old but had not yet borne fruits.

In 1970, he sprayed a batch of 100 trees with potassium nitrate. He noted bud break after seven days, followed by flower emergence on the 14th day. Eventually the fruits developed and were harvested four months from spraying.

Another set of 100 trees were sprayed in December 1970 to verify results and to extend field application. “The results were similar,” Dr. Barba reported.

In sum, he reckoned, 12 years were spent for studying, planning, and conceptualizing the technology since his college years in the late 1950s before the chance to experiment in December 1969. Unraveling the technology took only four months.

Through it, the Philippines has become the world’s second top mango exporter, shipping one million tons a year valued at $60 million, or 7.8 percent of the world share.

The local mango industry now contributes P41.6 billion to the national economy and supports 2.5 million farmers.