Effects of fruit thinning severity on yield and quality of 'Sensation' mango (Mangifera indica).
Yeshitela T., Robbertse P. J., Stassen P. J. C., Grimbeek J., Linde M. van der
Author Affiliation: Department of Plant Sciences, Alemaya University, P.O. Box 165 Dire Dawa, Ethiopia.
Journal of Fruit Science 20 : 190-194
Abstract : The effects of fruit thinning on the yield and quality of mango cv. Sensation were studied at Bavaria Estate, South Africa, during 2001-2002. The treatments consisted of thinning to one fruit per panicle, thinning to one fruit per panicle and removal of 50% of the panicles, thinning to two fruits per panicle, and thinning to two fruits per panicle and removal of 50% of the panicles. Severe thinning (thinning to one fruit per panicle and removal of 50% of the panicles) resulted in the lowest yield (25.8 t/ha), whereas the other thinning intensities enhanced fruit yield compared to the control. The highest number of harvested fruits was obtained with thinning to one fruit (178.7) or two fruits (182.3) per panicle. Fruit weight (346.0 g), fruit retention percentage (86.9%) and total soluble solid content (16.3%) were highest with severe thinning. The lowest initial (before the analysis of titratable acids) fruit pH (4.0) was obtained with thinning to two fruits per panicle and removal of 50% of the panicles. The total soluble solid content was negatively correlated with titratable acid content and initial pH. The highest incidence of jelly seeds was recorded for severe thinning (30.6%), whereas the lowest was recorded for the control (16.7%) and thinning to two fruits per panicle (20.8%). In terms of the overall quantitative parameters, thinning to two fruits per panicle was superior among the treatments. However, in terms of the qualitative parameters (except for the percentage of jelly seeds), severe thinning was the most favourable.