Effect of Ruellia tuberosa L. leaf extract, NAA and irrigation on floral malformation of mango.
Pandey D., Pandey S. N.
Author Affiliation: Division of Fruits and Horticultural Technology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India.
Indian Journal of Horticulture 58 : 246-249
Abstract : Experiments were conducted in New Delhi, India, to study the effects of NAA, irrigation, and R. tuberosa leaf extract on the incidence of floral malformation in mango cv. Dashehari. In experiment 1, 200 ppm NAA was applied on trees in the second week of October with or without irrigation in the second week of December and January. In experiment 2, branches were sprayed with fresh (applied immediately after being extracted) or stored (under 4°C for 24 h) methanol extract of R. tuberosa at flower bud initiation (second week of October). The extent of malformation in the control (13.82%) did significantly vary from that of NAA alone (14.63%) or in combination with irrigation (14.40%). Plants that received irrigation only had greater malformation (15.42%) than the control. Plants sprayed with fresh and stored R. tuberosa extracts had lower rate of malformation (14.47 and 4.57%, respectively) than the control (methanol diluted with water; 27.62%). R. tuberosa leaf extract contained more abscisic acid (17.23 µg/g) than IAA (4.35 µg/g) and gibberellic acid (2.31 µg/g).