Tree vigor and hormonal changes in response to pruning and paclobutrazol application in mango (Mangifera indica L.) cv Dashehari.
Srilatha V., Reddy Y. T. N., Upreti K. K., Jagannath S.
Author Affiliation: Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengalure 560 089, India.
Environment and Ecology 33 : 1413-1417
Abstract : Pruning and paclobutrazol have been found effective for induction of early flowering in mango by temporary suppression in vegetative growth through its effects on hormones. The objective of the study was to examine the combined effect of pruning and paclobutrazol on tree vigor and hormonal changes in mango cv Dashehari. Trees pruned to 50% current season growth with application of paclobutrazol (T1) recorded less plant height, trunk girth, canopy spread, shoot length and shoot girth and advanced the flowering time which resulted in early harvest by 16 days followed by unpruned trees with application of paclobutrazol (T5) compared to control trees (T6). Unpruned trees with PBZ application (T5) recorded 56.86% higher yields followed by 44.3% higher yields in trees pruned to 50% current season's growth (T1). Trees pruned to 50% previous season's growth (T4) recorded 92.2% lesser yields compared to control trees (T6). PBZ application declined the gibberellin and IAA contents and increased the abscissic acid levels in trees pruned to 50% current season growth followed by unpruned trees. Results from this study implicated that pruning of trees to 50% current season's growth with application of PBZ is vital for regulating tree size, early flowering and advancing fruit harvest with higher yield in mango cv Dashehari and such beneficial effects of treatments mediated through hormonal contents.