Usefulness of Ethrel in regulating flower bearing in mango (Mangifera indica L.).
Pandey R. M., Singh R. N., Sinha G. C.
Author Affiliation: Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi.
Science and Culture 39 : 148-150
Abstract : Branches which had and which had not borne fruit were selected on trees of the cv. Dashehari and were sprayed 8 times with 240 p.p.m. Ethrel (ethephon) at 15-day intervals from September onwards. On previously bearing branches 87.5% of the sprayed shoots, both terminal and axillary, differentiated fruit buds whereas only 5% of the untreated control shoots did so. Of shoots on the previously non-bearing branches 80% flowered when treated with Ethrel and 75% did so when unsprayed. The number of fruit finally retained per branch was 50, 0, 45 and 44, respectively. Ethrel treatment also accelerated bud swelling, panicle emergence and anthesis.