DIZON EXOTIC FRUIT TREES

The Philippine Star, Business

Sweet Elena listed among world's sweetest mangoes

by Ramon Ma. Epino

The 1995 World Guinness Book of Record lists Zambales as producer of the sweetest mango in the world. The province's export quality carabao mango varieties and strains have made a significant contribution to the country's mango industry.

Among them is the Sweet Elena (Mangifera indica) descended from a 108-year old mother tree in a five-hectare mango orchard in Sabang, Sta. Cruz, Zambales (Sweet Elena nursery) owned by Penida Moselina Malabed. This mother tree produces 2.4 metric tons of fruit per fruiting season.

The seedlings were evaluated by Ma. Esther Marinas of the Ramon Magsaysay Technological University in San Marcelino, Zambales. The study was conducted in three years in coordination with the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI).

The National Seed Industry Council (NSIC) of the Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Plant Industry released the new carabao mango strain of Sweet Elena in October 2002.

IBP-UPLB and a member of NSIC, considers and recommends Sweet Elena as the best carabao mango strain for commercialization. It has an average fruit weight of 365-700 grams and sugar content of almost 19 percent Brix.

Aside from its size and juicy sweetness it has other superior commercial characteristics. Among them are the absence of fibrous materials in its flesh and thickness of its pulp.

Sweet Elena was adjudged the sweetest and the biggest mango in the Philippines for three consecutive years by the Bureau of Plant Industry.

The nursery in Barangay Bayto, Sta. Cruz, Zambales is three kilometers from the national highway.

At the DENR-PAWB-Dizon Botanic Fruit Garden, Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife, Diliman, Quezon City, 1,000 double rootstock grafted Sweet Elena seedlings are now available.