Effect of temperature on growth, dry matter production and starch accumulation in ten mango (Mangifera indica L.) cultivars.
Whiley A. W., Rasmussen T. S., Saranah J. B., Wolstenholme B. N.
Author Affiliation: Department of Primary Industries, PO Box 5083, SCMC, Nambour, Queensland 4560, Australia.
Journal of Horticultural Science 64 : 753-765
Abstract : Ten cultivars of tropical and subtropical origin were grafted onto cv. Kensington seedling rootstock and held at 4 day/night temperatures for 20 weeks. Vegetative growth increased with increasing temperatures and all cultivars tested grew vegetatively at 25/20°C and 30/25°C. Carabao, Kensington and Dashehari did not grow at 20/15°C. Kensington, Nam Dok Mai, Alphonso, Florigon, Glenn, Irwin, Haden and Sensation produced flower panicles at 15/10°C. The rise in temperature increased the mean number of growth flushes (in responsive cultivars) from 0.48 at 15/10°C to 3.21 at 30/25°C, and the number of leaves per growth flush (1.22 at 15/10°C to 13.63 at 30/25°C). Distribution of DM from new growth was mostly to the roots at the lowest temperature (95% at 15/10°C) and to the leaves (58%) at 30/25°C. The mean daily temperature for zero vegetative growth was calculated to be 15°C. Temperature and related growth activity also affected the concentration of starch in the woody tissue of rootstock trunks at the end of 20 weeks. Irwin had the highest starch concentration at the 2 higher temperatures (13-15.7% of dry weight (DW)), while Kensington had the lowest starch level at 25/20°C (6.4% of DW).