Banganapalli (Beneshan) mango

Banganapalli, also written Banganapalle and known locally as Beneshan, Benishan, Safeda or Chappatai, is the leading mango cultivar of Andhra Pradesh and the state's official fruit. It originated in the town of Banaganapalle in present-day Nandyal district and is among the most widely cultivated mangoes of south India.

Key characteristics

Origin: Banaganapalle, Nandyal district, Andhra Pradesh
GI status: GI-tagged variety of Andhra Pradesh
Fruit shape: obliquely oval, medium to large
Fruit weight: 300-600 g, occasionally up to 900 g
Skin: thin, golden-yellow at maturity
Flesh: firm, sweet, fibreless, deep yellow
Maturity: 105-115 days after flowering

Cultivation

Banganapalli is propagated by softwood or veneer grafting on local mango seedling rootstock. Conventional plantings use 8-10 m spacing, with ultra-high-density variants (Mango Orchard Establishment Hdp) also adopted. Canopy training and pruning (Mango Canopy Training Pruning) and flowering management with KNO3 and paclobutrazol (Mango Flowering Management) are increasingly common to manage alternate bearing and synchronise the harvest window.

Pest and disease profile

Major problems include mango hopper, mealybug, stem borer and fruit fly (Fruit Fly Orchard Pest); powdery mildew and anthracnose can damage flowering panicles and fruit in humid years. Integrated pest management combining sanitation, methyl-eugenol traps and judicious fungicide use is standard.

Adoption and use

Banganapalli accounts for around 70% of the mango area in Andhra Pradesh and is also planted across Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. It is consumed fresh and processed into juice, slices, pickles and aam papad (Mango Value Addition Rolls Thandra). The cultivar is exported to West Asia and South-East Asia and competes with other Indian mangoes such as Alphonso (Mango Alphonso) and Kesar (Mango Kesar) in premium segments.

References

Banganapalle (mango). Wikipedia.
Varietal Diversity of South Indian Mangoes. ICAR.