The impact on productivity was slightly greater than that of the conventional system, but the benefits to health and the environment are considerable. The aim is to expand the model to other Brazilian regions. Another result of the partnership between Embrapa and Bioenergia Orgânicos, the new system is an addition to those of pineapple and passion fruit. The initiative strengthens the protagonism of the Northeastern region in the production of organic fruits in the country. Specialists of Embrapa and partners developed another organic fruit production system. The crop of the hour is mango. The first organic system of the country for mango production was developed both based on experiments carried out in the municipality of Lençóis, in Chapada Diamantina, in the state of Bahia, and on studies of other institutions and Embrapa units. In Bahia, the average yield of the organic system was slightly superior to that of the conventional one: 20 tons per hectare (t/ha), with the possibility of reaching 25 t/ha in the following cycle, against 15.6 t/ha on average – the difference could have been greater if a denser spacing (more plants per hectare) had been used in the experiments. Despite this, the result was celebrated by the research team because it is another incentive to organic production and the sustainability of Brazilian agriculture. Another factor that should also be taken into account is that, compared with the conventional management, the organic one does not use chemical products, simplifying the production process. For now, the new system is restricted to the Northeastern region, but our proposal is that it be used as a model to be adjusted to other production poles in the country, since it includes the basic principles of organic production. This is another result of the project “Development of organic production systems for tropical climate fruit”, conducted in partnership by Embrapa and the Bioenergia Orgânicos company since 2011 – organic production systems for pineapple and passion fruit have already been developed and launched. The resulting publication reunites technical recommendations for growing organic mangoes, related to socioeconomic aspects, climatic requirements, soil preparation and management, liming and fertilization, varieties, seedling production, orchard establishment, irrigation, cultural practices, pest (diseases and insects) control, harvest and post-harvest, market and commercialization, technical coefficients, and profitability. Mango produced mainly in the Northeastern region In Brazil, the Northeast stands out for producing mango practically throughout the entire year – the region is responsible for 76.3% of the country’s production according to data obtained in 2018 by Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). The state of Bahia is the leader in mango harvested area (24,200 hectares, representing 36.9% of the harvested area in the entire country), coming after the state of Pernambuco in yield (378,362 tons against 496,937 tons) and average yield (15.6 t/ha against 41.3 t/ha). This difference is explained by the fact that, in Pernambuco, a denser spacing is used and the growers have access to more technology, as well as to more productive varieties, aiming exportation, whereas, in Bahia, mango production is carried out by small, family growers and represents approximately 29% of the national production. Soil preparation and management The basis for the success of an organic production system is soil preparation, which should involve as little tilling as possible. The published work lists the main requirements of the mango tree, a tropical fruit tree adapted to several types of soil, but that develops better in soils that are deep, well drained, and do not have problems related to salinity. “We started implementing the system in 2011 by preparing the soil, which took about one year. In Lençóis, the soil is extremely poor. Classified as a “Latossolo Vermelho-Amarelo distrófico”, it has a high content of exchangeable aluminum and low contents of calcium, magnesium, and other nutrients. After the chemical and granulometric analyses, our first step was to apply dolomitic lime and gypsum (gypsite) to neutralize the aluminum and supply calcium and magnesium. Then, we brought in the improved plants”, explains Ana Lúcia, researcher of Embrapa Cassava & Tropical Fruits. Growing improved plants is one of the ways of guaranteeing soil cover. According to the production system’s description in the publication, plants are used as soil cover to increase water use efficiency, reduce erosion and salinization, promote nutrient cycling, add nitrogen, increase the carbon stock of the system, and, consequently, improve soil quality regarding its physical, chemical, and biological attributes. “In the experiments in Lençóis, we used a plant cocktail that mixed legume and grass seeds. The used legumes were jack bean and velvet bean, and the grasses, sorghum and millet. The cocktail is interesting because it allows growing plant species with different nutrient compositions and decomposition rates. The legumes have more nitrogen, but decompose faster. And the grasses have less nitrogen, but decompose slower. This is only considering the aerial part of the plants, but we should also take into account the roots due to their nutrient content and carbon accumulation in the soil, remembering that legumes cycle mainly potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus in superficial soil layers, and that grasses contribute to soil aggregation”, exemplifies the researcher. Evaluated varieties To avoid losses, the varieties to be used in the orchard should be carefully chosen. In the case of the experiments in Lençóis, Embrapa brought 23 varieties to be evaluated there – part of them are from the mango breeding program of Embrapa Cerrados, located in Distrito Federal. The main characteristics observed were those required for processing, since the goal of Bioenergia Orgânicos is to use most of the produced mango in its whole-pulp processing industry, yet to be installed. “The Ubá and Palmer varieties both adapted well to the region, producing high-quality fruits in the organic system, and are being recommended”, shares the researcher from Embrapa Cassava & Tropical Fruits, Nelson Fonseca. The organic production system details characteristics of the two selected varieties. The Ubá mango is originated from the municipality of Ubá, in the state of Minas Gerais, and is a vigorous tree with a rounded and dense canopy. In Lençóis, it showed a regular yield above 18 t/ha in the fifth crop year, when spaced at 8 m x 8 m (156 plants per hectare). Its fruit has a yellow peel when ripe, and its pulp is also yellow and tasty, with short and soft fibers. It can be consumed in natura, but is used mainly for juice production. The Palmer mango originated in the state of Florida, in the United States, and was introduced in Brazil in 1960. The plant produced approximately 20 t/ha in the fifth crop year, also spaced at 8 m x 8 m (156 plants per hectare). Its fruit is elongated and dark red when ripe. The pulp is yellow, firm, tasty, and has no fibers. It is usually consumed as a table fruit, but has potential to be processed. It is one of the main mango varieties produced in Brazil and sold at the markets. “What is interesting is that one of the recommended varieties is early and the other is late, which increases the range of the crop season. To give you an idea, for the Ubá mango, it takes from 120 to 125 days from flowering until harvesting of the ripe fruit. For Palmer, it takes about 150 days. That’s 30 days more. Let’s suppose that Ubá has a production peak from December to January, and Palmer mango from February to March. So, the crop season is extended using these two varieties”, points out Fonseca. Regarding productivity, the researcher highlights that there is only a slight difference compared to that of the conventional crop, which, according to him, is a very positive result. “In the conventional system, it is possible to use soluble chemical fertilizers, growth regulators, alternatives to induce flowering, and so on, which makes production much easier. So, reaching a similar productivity with the organic system is a big deal. Besides, the produced fruits are very vigorous, healthy, and tasty”, he adds. According to Fonseca, the research team is seeking alternatives to improve flowering induction, which is an aspect that the partner from Bioenergia Orgânicos, Osvaldo Araújo, also believes needs to be worked on. “We continue the research together with Embrapa to find a solution to induce flowering, so that organic mango can be grown throughout the year”, states Araújo. A more sustainable agriculture There are no official statistics on organic mango production in Brazil – to be considered organic, the grower must use techniques that are environmentally sustainable and may not use pesticides or even soluble chemical fertilizers, according to the regulatory standards of Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento (Mapa). Worldwide, according to the data collected in 2018 by Federação Internacional dos Movimentos de Agricultura Orgânica (Ifoam), the mango producing area under organic management totals 18,632 ha, which is equivalent to 0.43% of the area cultivated with mango. Considering this percentage, researcher Ana Lúcia Borges, from Embrapa Cassava & Tropical Fruits, located in the state of Bahia, estimates that mango is grown in the organic system in 282 ha in Brazil and approximately in 104 ha in Bahia. “Is it a small area? Yes. But the goal of developing this production system is precisely to contribute to the growth of organic mango in the region and, at the same time, influence other Brazilian regions. It is part of the set of actions of the company to improve the sustainability of the country’s agriculture”, declares Ana Lúcia, who represents Embrapa in the Commission for Organic Production in Bahia, a forum composed by members of governmental and non-governmental agencies. She is the technical editor of the cited publication, together with the retired researcher Zilton Cordeiro – 20 authors signed the document, including researchers from Embrapa Cassava & Tropical Fruits and Embrapa Semi-arid Region, located in the state of Pernambuco, as well as from Universidade Federal do Recôncavo da Bahia (UFRB), besides a representative of Bioenergia Orgânicos and scholarship recipients. Foto: Nelson Fonseca Pest control: prevention is better than cure Since its not possible to use synthetic chemical inputs, pest control is the greatest challenge in any organic crop. It is necessary to manage the natural vegetation of the orchard and plant nutrients, as well as to monitor the populations of pests and natural enemies. The publication on organic mango production lists the main pests of the crop and their control measures. “In the organic system, many preventive measures are required. The area needs to be surveyed constantly to remove the insect as soon as it appears. It is called integrated management, involving prevention, monitoring, and intervention”, explains phytopathologist Aristoteles Matos, researcher of Embrapa Cassava & Tropical Fruits. He adds that the experiment in Lençóis followed this pattern and focused first on prevention. “To avoid the entry of pests and diseases in the orchard, our first step was growing healthy seedlings. The Bioenergia Orgânicos company has a nursery that follows the standards established by Mapa for the production of seedlings from mango varieties that were improved and that today are used to produce certified organic seedlings. We transported the seedlings from this nursery to the farm where the orchard was established”, clarifies Matos. Regarding the organic production system, the publication also includes orientations on how to build nurseries for the seedlings. Afterwards, the researcher listed several of the adopted measures that guaranteed the good development of the orchard, such as managing natural vegetation by clearing the ground to decrease humidity and trimming. The constant monitoring of the area allowed to identify pests and diseases and to immediately remove the affected plant parts to reduce the problem inside the orchard as much as possible. Another important factor highlighted by Matos was the adopted irrigation management. “We always irrigated only below the canopy to avoid getting leaves and fruits wet, which would make them susceptible to the attack of fungi and diseases. Now, when pests or diseases occur, we apply mixtures that are allowed in organic agriculture, such as the Bordeaux mixture”, states the researcher. Ant control According to the researcher, the leafcutter ants were the hardest pest to control throughout the years in the experiments in Lençóis. Osvaldo Araújo also considered this the greatest challenge in growing organic mango. “Mango is actually an interesting orchard and easy to manage in the organic system. The great difficulty is ant control. But we found an organic product available in the market and had excellent results”, informs the partner from Bioenergia Orgânicos. The ants were controlled using granular baits based on the natural extract of Tephrosia candida. The publication on the organic production system also includes information about other insects (fruit flies, yellow beetle, fire caterpillar, flower-cicada, and thrips) that attack the mango orchard and how to control them, as well as about the most common diseases (anthracnosis, powdery mildew, floral malformation, plant malformation, die back, dry rot, and angular leaf spot), with a description of their symptoms and control. Translation: Micla Souza