Graft-induced off-season flowering and fruiting in the mango (Mangifera indica L.).
Kulkarni V. J.
Author Affiliation: Fruit Research Station, Sangareddy, 502 001, India.
Journal of Horticultural Science 61 : 141-145
Abstract : Off-season, summer flowering and winter fruiting were induced in the cultivars Dashehari and Totapari, which normally do not flower out of season, when their defoliated shoots were grafted onto shoots of the off-season cv. Royal Special. Graft transmission of the flowering stimulus was possible from March to the first week of May, which is the period when the donor shoots of Royal Special are themselves capable of flowering, after which only vegetative shoots emerged from the receptor scions and donor stocks. When defoliated scion shoots of Royal Special were grafted onto non-flowering shoots of Dashehari and Totapari the scion failed to flower. Fruit set and development were markedly influenced by temperature. Most fruits were harvested from the May-grafted shoots, probably due to moderate temperatures during July and August. Very high temperatures from April to June were detrimental to March- and April-graft-induced panicles. The quality of mature graft-induced off-season fruits was excellent.