The effect of CultarŪ applied as a soil drench on Zill mango trees.
Rowley A. J.
Author Affiliation: ICI Agrochemicals, Nelspruit, South Africa.
Acta Horticulturae : 211-215
Abstract : Cultar (paclobutrazol) was applied at 2 or 4 g a.i. as a soil drench and the trees irrigated to run off. Application was pre-blossom (Aug.) and was repeated 12 months later. The first flush of shoot growth was significantly reduced by both treatments compared with the control but there was no difference between treatments. The second flush produced less growth than the control with a significant difference between treatments (120.1 mm control, 69.1 mm 2 g a.i., 42.2 mm 4 g a.i.).The third flush was similar to the second. Height and canopy of the treated trees were less than the control after 16 months. Cultar had no effect on blossom, fruit number and weight in the first year but in the second year the treated trees flowered 4 weeks earlier. Panicle emergence was also much more uniform and there was a greater number of panicles on the west side of the trees treated with 4 g a.i. Cultar.