Studies on irregular bearing of mango (Mangifera indica L.). II. Changes in mineral composition of leaf and shoot in relation to fruit-bud differentiation.
Sanyal D., Mitra S. K.
Author Affiliation: Department of Horticulture, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Kalyani - 741 235, Nadia, WB, India.
Advances in Horticulture and Forestry 6 : 1-7
Abstract : An experiment was carried out in 1987-89 at Kalyani, West Bengal, India, to evaluate the effect of Ethrel (ethephon, 40% a.i.) at 1 ml/litre, KNO3 at 10 g/litre, MH [maleic hydrazide] at 400 mg/litre, TIBA at 1 g/litre and distilled water (control) on the leaf and shoot mineral composition of mango cultivars Himsagar, Langra and Baramasia prior to flowering. Chemicals were applied 4 times at monthly intervals between 20 September and 20 December. Leaf and shoot N contents increased from October to November and decreased thereafter, whereas P and K contents decreased gradually from October to December for all cultivars. KNO3 and TIBA application generally increased leaf and shoot P and K contents, irrespective of the cultivar. Off year leaf and shoot P and K contents were low in all 3 cultivars. Only in cv. Langra were leaf and shoot N contents higher in the off year than the on year. It is concluded that leaf and shoot P and K contents may play some role in the induction of flowering in mango.