Decades-old tree to bear 200 mango varieties

The district administration authorities of Chapainawabganj have taken an extraordinary initiative by turning a decades-old mango tree into a mother tree, which would be able to produce 200 varieties of mangoes in the upcoming season.

Monjurul Hafiz, the district’s former deputy commissioner, has made it possible by organising a team of esteemed horticulturists and agro scientists of the region.

With the utmost facilitation of the Chapainawabganj deputy commissioner’s (DC) office, Monjurul Hafiz, and these horticulturists, the miracle has been possible. They collected 200 varieties of mango saplings, prepared an old tree on the old Circuit House premises, and made the plantation possible through the grafting method.

They said if the tree remains under proper observation and maintenance, it will soon flower and bear fruits.

During a recent visit to the Circuit House, the distinctive tree was seen with new leaves and branches of different varieties of mangoes. The Business Post found that the tree was well attended to and protected by experienced horticulturists and gardeners.

The tree bears saplings of various mango varieties, including Fazlee, Bombai Fazlee, Gourmati, Jaduvog, Mollika, Taiwan Green, Ashhwina, Chosa, Katimon, Bandi Gouri, Katiman, BARI 11, BARI 4, Biswanath, Surjopuree, Ranipashondo, Ranguai, BAU 5, Laksmanbhog, Brunai King, Baishakhi, Khirsapat, Rangilabhog, Palmar, Harivanga, Rangila, Banana Mango, Totapuri, Bari-8, Surjodim, Himsagar, Bari-7, Amrapali, BAU-7, Bau-14, Nak Fazlee, Hualak, Fazlee (atti), Chu, Arajam, Bobla Guti, Gopalbogh, Thailanda, Bombai Khirsha and Kali Bombai.

Nasim Al Arafat, a security guard, and Mozammel Hossain, gardener of the Circuit House, said that the tree was really old and the mangoes it bore were tasteless and sour. That is why the DC office chose the tree for their experiment, they said.

The tree is spectacular and has become a tourist attraction. It is unbelievable that 200 varieties of mangoes would grow from a single tree, and people are enthusiastically waiting to see how it turns out, locals said.

The initiator of the experiment, Monjurul Hafiz, said Chapainawabganj district is home to the sweetest and most distinctive mango varieties of the world. “That is why the idea came to my mind to create a symbolic representation that will represent this blessing of the district.”

“This can be turned into a tourist attraction where the visitors would be able to see all 200 varieties of mangoes in the tree at once. If it bears mangoes from all the varieties, we will apply for an entry in the Guinness World Records,” he said.

“I collected these samples from the Regional Horticulture Research Centre (mango research centre), Monamina Krishi Khamar, and marginal farmers,” he added.

He also informed that under his initiation, more than 100 rare varieties of mangoes were given names to popularise their cultivation and distinctive taste.

Abu Saleh Mohammad Yousuf Ali, scientific officer of the Regional Horticulture Research Centre, who gifted 20 saplings of rare mangoes for the tree to the DC office, said, “The number of saplings added to a tree through the grafting method does not matter as long as the tree is well attended to and cared for.”

The tree would also serve the horticulturists, agro researchers, and students as they can collect germplasms of 200 varieties of mangoes from this tree conveniently.

Nazrul Islam, deputy director of Chapainawabganj Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), said the tree would be a good addition to the district’s horticulture.

Sirajul Islam, additional director of Rajshahi DAE, and Dr Alim, chief scientific officer of the Regional Horticulture Research Centre, said they are hopeful that the tree will flower and bear fruits soon.