Glossary

Harvest maturity is the developmental state at which fruit is suitable for picking for its intended use and market. A mango destined to ripen off the tree needs sufficient development, but it may still be firm and not ready to eat. Skin color alone is unreliable across cultivars. Combine relevant local maturity indicators with experience of the tree, and distinguish harvest maturity from eating ripeness when discussing transport, shelf life, or disappointing flavor after picking.