Abstract
We are in the city of Belo Horizonte, Southeastern Brazil, and
it is December, but unexpectedly, mango fruits (Mangifera indica)
have not yet ripened. As far as we are concerned, we have never
experienced a year in which November and December came along
without mango fruits ripening in this region. Although native to the
Philippines and India, mangos today are a staple and important
cultural element in the entire tropical region. Most humans, as
well as other animals, above all birds, such as parrots, macaws,
and parakeets, appreciate this juicy and fleshy fruit [1]. Mango
production depends on climatic stability, and extreme temperatures
(above 36°C or below 10°C) can delay fruit development Centro de
Producoes Tecnicas [2] (accessed December 3, 2017). Mango trees,
which are adapted to warm and rainy weather, also need a marked
dry season to reach their optimum production, and therefore, in
very rainy regions, fruit development is delayed. The weather in
Belo Horizonte during the year of 2017 was rather unusual, not to
say very strange. It was the coldest winter in the city since 1975
(Instituto de Metereologia), and there was also some rainfall in this
period, which is highly uncommon. This could have been the reason
behind the mangos taking so long to ripen, since all of these climatic
aspects reduce and slow down fruit ripening and production.
The #Late Mangos: Is There Any Doubt #Humans Are Inducing #Climate Change? by Fernando Goulart in BJSTR
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