| Details of Innovation |
If the mango (Mangifera indica) tree does not give fruit even after being fully grown, then the people have a seemingly unscientific but effective method to make it bear fruit. This faith borders on the superstition of the people who tie ribbons, threads, artificial jewellery, pots and so on on big trees such as banyan near pilgrim places. In the specific case of mango, the pilgrims progress fructifies whatever the scientific reason behind it.
Dayabhai Valabhai Vankar simply leaves 7 kilogram to 8 kilogram bran bundles of wheat (Triticum aestivum) tied up in a well-arranged manner on the mango branches. Lo and behold! the mango tree starts bearing fruit. How the bran acts on the branch is not clear. But it does act, going by the peoples unshakeable faith in the practice. Most of the mango producers of the Kuredi area in Sabarkantha district follow this method faithfully.
However, Dayabhai cuations that the bran bundles should be so perfectly arranged on the branches that the bran does not spill and scatter. This would indeed remove barrenness of mango tree. "Underneath the mango tree..." as the English film song of yore goes, the fruiterer may soon have to stand and admire the crop in season.
Apparently, it is a question of choice of the mango variety, of which there are hundreds. There are some fast-growing mango trees that in a shrub-like stage itself yield fruit that touch the ground pulling the branches down. Some of the smug native varieties obviously need to be coaxed with votive offerings such as bran bundles placed on branches to yield the luscious and delicious fruit. |
Honey Bee Network Knowledge & Innovation Database (HBNKIND)
