Mulching and irrigation effects on growth, cropping and fruit quality of the mango cv. Sensation.
Farré J. M., Hermoso J. M.
Author Affiliation: Estación Experimental La Mayora, Algarrobo Costa, Málaga, Spain.
: 295-302
Abstract : Recently planted mango trees were drip-irrigated to maintain the soil matric potentials at -27, -50 or -70 kPa; half the trees were mulched with sugarcane bagasse. The experiment was conducted for 6 years and then residual effects were determined after 1 further year of uniform mulching and irrigation. The water use in the driest plots was 15-40% less than in the wettest plots, depending on the season. Mulching slightly improved trunk growth in the first 2 years (330% up to 379%) and mean yield (increased from 11.1 to 12.9 kg?tree-1year-1) and productivity (increased from 177.5 to 182.8 g?cm-2trunk-1) in years 4-7. The wet regime slightly increased the trunk growth and yield over the dry one. Efficiency, measured as yield per unit area of trunk cross-section, was considerably lower under the dry regime. Fruit red skin colour and internal breakdown percentage were similar with all treatments.