Investigations on the use of growth regulators for the control of alternate bearing problem in mango (Mangifera indica L.).
Ravishankar H., Nalawadi U. G., Hulamani N. C.
Author Affiliation: Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad 580?005, India.
South Indian Horticulture 38 : 234-239
Abstract : Studies were carried out with alternately bearing 30-year-old trees of the cultivar Alphonso. Different treatments involving TIBA, Ethrel [ethephon], CCC [chlormequat], Alar [daminozide], Atonik [nitrophenolate-sodium + nitroguaiacol-sodium], urea and KNO3 were applied at 15-day intervals from the second week in Sep. to the second week in Dec. in the off-years 1983 and 1985. TIBA at 100 p.p.m. gave the highest level of flower induction directly on fruiting shoots, by-passing the vegetative growth during the expected off year. CCC at 500 or 1000 p.p.m. induced the highest levels of flowering on new vegetative growth that developed subsequently on fruiting shoots. The promotive effect of TIBA and CCC on flower induction on the fruiting shoots was associated with a distinct suppression of vegetative growth. Application of any of the growth regulators resulted in the production of a moderate crop during the expected off year, with TIBA at 100 p.p.m. giving the best results (181 fruits/tree) compared with 39-153/tree for the other treatments, and with 32 fruits/tree in the control.