Effect of fruit thinning on fruit growth and profitability in 'Irwin' mango cultivation under greenhouse.
Sasaki K., Utsunomiya N.
Author Affiliation: Experimental Farm of Kinki University, Yuasa, Wakayama 643-0004, Japan.
Japanese Journal of Tropical Agriculture 46 : 295-297
Abstract : The effects of fruit thinning, conducted by removing small fruits successively until the average number of fruits was reduced to 24.4 per tree (43.2 fruits per tree in the control), on the yield and profitability of mango cv. Irwin were studied. The harvesting date did not significantly vary between treatments, indicating that fruit growth was not affected by thinning. The control trees recorded higher fruit yield (two-fold), whereas thinned trees produced larger and heavier fruits (those weighing more than 400 g each comprised 80% of the yield from thinned trees, compared to only 45% in the control). The majority of the fruits harvested from thinned trees were marketable, whereas approximately 20% of fruits harvested from the control trees were not. Thinning also increased fruit sugar content, as indicated by higher soluble solid content recorded for fruits harvested from thinned trees. Thus, the removal of small fruits appears to be suitable for increasing the profitability of mango.