Approaches for managing the problem of biennial bearing in Alphonso mango trees.
Rao M. M., Srihari D.
Author Affiliation: University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad 580 005, India.
Journal of Maharashtra Agricultural Universities 23 : 19-21
Abstract : Under rainfed conditions, biennial bearing in Alphonso mango trees is caused by dormancy in shoots which have fruited. Four approaches were compared for managing this problem by promoting flowering directly on fruited shoots for cropping in the following year. All these methods were successful in producing some cropping in the expected 'off' year. The different methods were: (1) application of 1% each of urea and KH2PO4 after harvest of the 'on' year crop, which favoured development of new fruiting shoots which flowered in the 'off' year; (2) application of foliar sprays of 100 ppm TIBA or 2000 ppm paclobutrazol or soil application of 10 g paclobutrazol which promoted flowering directly on fruited shoots in the 'off' year by-passing the need for the vegetative phase; (3) applying NAA to thin flowers which promoted moderate cropping in the 'off' year and (4) pruning of fruited shoots which promoted lateral flowering in the 'off' year.