Distribution and diversity of Mangifera species on farm in Malaysia

I. Salma, A. Khadijah, H. Masrom, A. Azuan, M.L. Raziah and M. Abdul Rahman

Abstract

Surveys on Mangifera species were carried out in 25 home gardens or orchards in each of 25 districts in 11 states in the country. A total of 14 Mangifera species were found to be cultivated or semi-cultivated in the home gardens or orchards. Each home garden had 1–5 Mangifera species. The state of Sarawak showed the highest species richness S = 11 which accounted for 79% of the observed diversity. However, species diversity is low (Shannon Diversity Index H’ = 0.484) due to the uneven distribution of the species. Johor showed the highest species diversity H’ = 1.649, followed by Sabah H’ = 1.592, Selangor H’ = 1.453, Terengganu H’ = 1.305 and Pahang H’ = 1.252. Four Mangifera species, M. indica, M. odorata, M. foetida and M. caesia were common, being cultivated in all the 11 studied states in the country. Mangifera pajang (bambangan) is endemic to Sarawak and Sabah. Mangifera species that could be considered as very rare as they occurred only in very few areas and in few number of trees were M. longipetiolata (sepam) (0.004%), M. torquenda (kemantan) (0.015%), M. microphylla (raba) (0.011%), M. griffithii (rawa) (0.174%), M. kemanga (kemang) (0.019%) and M. lagenifera (lanjut) (0.022%). Mangifera torquenda and M. microphylla were found only in Sarawak.

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