Flooding, mineral nutrition and gas exchange of mango trees.
Larson K. D., Schaffer B., Davies F. S., Sanchez C. A.
Author Affiliation: Tropical Research and Education Center, IFAS, University of Florida, Homestead, FL 33031, USA.
Scientia Horticulturae 52 : 113-124
Abstract : Two-year-old mango cv. Peach trees were grown in containers with (+Fe) or without (-Fe) 1.8 g chelated Fe (6%) per tree in a limestone soil for 7 months and exposed to 1 of 3 flooding regimes: non-flooded (control) and 10 or 20 days of flooding. Prior to the imposition of flooding, and about 80 days later, total leaf chlorophyll content (Chl) and foliar concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn were determined. Initially, Chl and foliar Fe and Mn concentrations were higher, but foliar K, Ca and Mg concentrations were lower, in the +Fe trees than in the -Fe trees. After the imposition of flooding treatments, significant interactions were observed between Fe and flooding treatments with regard to Chl and certain foliar nutrient concentrations. Therefore, the effect of flooding on mineral nutrition was analysed separately for each Fe regime. For +Fe trees, Chl was unaffected by flooding treatment, but for -Fe trees Chl increased with increased flooding duration. For both Fe regimes, foliar Mn increased with flooding and tended to be greatest with prolonged flooding. For both Fe regimes, flooding had no effect on foliar N, Fe or Zn concentrations, and no clear effect on foliar Cu concentration. For +Fe trees, foliar P concentration was reduced in trees flooded for 20 days, but flooding had no effect on foliar P concentration in -Fe trees. Flooding reduced foliar K concentration in -Fe trees, but not in +Fe trees. For both Fe regimes, flooding reduced foliar Ca concentration. For +Fe trees, flooding for 20 days increased the foliar Mg concentration, but flooding had no effect on foliar Mg in -Fe trees. Prior to flooding, net CO2 assimilation was greater for +Fe trees than for -Fe trees.