Ambika / CISH-Ambika

Ambika / CISH-Ambika is a mango hybrid developed from a cross between ‘Amrapali’ and ‘Janardhan Pasand’ by a team of scientists comprising Dr. Shailendra Rajan, Dr. S. S. Negi, and Dr. Ram Kumar, with Dr. B. K. Pandey and Dr. R. P. Shukla as collaborators, in 2000 at the Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture (CISH), Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. The Central as well as State Variety Release Committees accorded approval for the release of Ambika in 2024.

Ambika is one of the most promising mango hybrids developed by government research institutes in recent times. Adorned with an attractive red peel and endowed with a highly aromatic flavour, Ambika is a mango that readily tempts mango lovers to take a bite, rewarding them with an unforgettable taste experience and an excellent flavour profile.

Ambika is exceptionally sweet, with a TSS of up to 24 °Brix, and is primarily a table variety. Its average fruit weight is approximately 350 grams. It is a regular and prolific bearer, yielding about 80–90 kg per tree at 10 years of age. Ambika is a late-season mango, maturing in July–August in West Bengal, India, and in August in Uttar Pradesh, India. At Amrakunja Nursery & Farms, its shelf life has been found to be exceptionally long, extending to more than 14 days.

Ambika contains several bioactive compounds and is particularly rich in mangiferin. It is well-suited for cultivation across several Indian states, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu. With its attractive fruit colour, excellent eating quality, high sweetness, strong aroma, regular bearing habit, and promising shelf life, Ambika holds considerable potential for both domestic and export markets.

Ambika responds well to annual pruning and, owing to its suitability for relatively compact growing spaces, can be planted in rooftop gardens, kitchen gardens, small orchards, and terrace gardens.

ColourAttractive redAverage Weight350 gramsSweetnessTSS 21-24 BrixShelf LifeVery high— 2 weeksSeed TypeMonoembryonicBearingRegular and very heavy bearer in India