Effects of air temperature and rainfall on flower and fruit drop in mango.
Chang JerWay, Chao ChengNan
Author Affiliation: Chia-Yi Agriculture Experiment Station Taiwan, Agricultural Research Institute, Chai-Yi, Taiwan.
Chinese Journal of Agrometeorology 7 : 33-41
Abstract : Field experiments were conducted on 20-year-old mango cv. Irwin trees to determine the influence of air temperature and rainfall during the flowering and fruiting period on the frequency of flower and fruit drop, during 1994 and 1995 at Yuching area, Chai-Yi, Taiwan, ROC. Low temperature and rainfall were the important factors on flower and fruit drop. The flowering period was most sensitive to low temperature. During the flowering period, air temperature below 5°C resulted in flower drop. During the fruit growth stage, air temperature below 15°C resulted in fruit drop which appeared at fruit length of 0.5 to 3.0 cm. However, the influence of rainfall on flower and fruit drop was not limited to any flower and fruit growth stage.