Production efficiency of compact 'Manila' mangoes grafted onto different interstock-rootstock combinations.
Avila-Reséndiz C., García-Pérez E., Matheis-Toledano L., Mosqueda-Vázquez R.
Author Affiliation: Colegio de Postgraduados, Crecidath, Apartado Postal 421, CP 91700 Veracruz, Mexico.
Acta Horticulturae : 281-287
Abstract : Manila is the most important mango cultivar in Mexico, where the trees can reach 30 m in height, making the cost of pesticides and harvesting high and limiting the planting density to 50 trees/ha. The cultivars Esmeralda (E), Irwin (I), Diplomático (D) and Thomas (T) were used in various interstock/rootstock combinations to limit the height of cv. Manila (M) trees. At 9 years old, the scion/interstock/rootstock combinations M/T/E and M/I/I reduced both tree height and canopy diameter by 51% and 40%, respectively, compared with ungrafted Manila seedlings. After 5 years of production, the total yield of these 2 combinations was 99 and 96 kg/tree, respectively, yield/trunk cross sectional area was 0.647 and 0.612 kg/cm², respectively and yield/canopy projection area was 4.4 and 5.8 kg/m², respectively. These figures represent an increased yield efficiency of 161% and 216% respectively over the ungrafted seedling Manila trees. Furthermore, these grafting combinations would enable planting densities of up to 500 trees/ha to be achieved.