Indian scientists develop 'seedless' mango - well, almost

Researchers at a Bihar university have successfully grown a fruit variety with smaller stones

Bihar is a major producer of mangoes (AFP/Getty )

If you hate de-seeding you favourite fruit, you might be glad to hear that scientists in India have reportedly successfully grown a “seedless” mango.

Researchers at the Bihar Agriculture University (BAU) have borne a fruit that is sweet and juicy – but without that large pesky stone in the centre.

The new variety, called Sindhu, weighs around 200g and is less fibrous than other types of mango. According to Quartz, the seed accounts for less than 10 per cent of the total weight of the fruit, compared to 15 to 30 per cent in other varieties.

But before you get too excited, it's more of a development than an invention in the fruit stakes.

V B Patel, chairman of the horticulture department at the university, told the news site: “Neither have we developed this mango nor is it seedless.

“We simply tested this variety.”

However, he told Indian news service IANS: “We are happy and enthusiastic as well as confident and hopeful of improving the seedless mango variety.”

Sindhu was originally developed at a regional fruit research station at the agriculture university Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli, in Maharashtra

BAU planted its own mangoes in 2011 and this is the first year the tress have yielded produce; the university is now working to make the fruit available to local mango growers on an experimental basis.

Vice chancellor M L Choudhary told IANS: “The seedless variety also has good export potential.”

Bihar is a major producer of mangoes and, according to the National Horticulture Mission (NHM), produced 1.5 million tonnes of the fruit last year.