Study of flowering and alternate bearing of mango varieties in the São Francisco Valley.
Souza M. P. de, Possídio E. L. de, Pereira F. A., Nunes R. F. de M., Queiroz M. A. de
Author Affiliation: RURALTINS, Rua: Pedro II, Centro, CEP 77320-000 Taguatinga, TO, Brazil.
: 353-358
Abstract : Mango cultivars have been evaluated in Brazil for only a few cycles of production. Therefore, some mango cultivars were evaluated under irrigation and for a longer period of production. Nineteen mango cultivars were evaluated for eighteen years (1979 to 1998) at the Mandacaru Experimental Station, Juazeiro, Bahia, Brazil. The plants were spaced 10×10 m and the cultivars were grafted on Espada. The average temperature (°C), rainfall (mm), relative humidity (%), evaporation (mm per day), sunshine hours (h per day) and solar radiation (h per day) during the experiment were recorded. Flowering dates for all cultivars in each year as well as fruit yield were registered for the eighteen cycles of production without use of growth regulators. Some cultivars started flowering after two years (Alphonso, Amarelinha, Bourbon, Brasil, Carlotão, Comprida Roxa, Florigon, Itiúba and Irwin) while Dusheri and Langra after nine and ten years, respectively. The varieties flowered from June to August, some of them presenting the typical pattern of alternate bearing (Maya, Haden, Itiúba, Bourbon, Irwin and Tommy Atkins). Some cultivars presented an erratic pattern of production (Carlotão, Florigon, Kensington, Surpresa, Momi-k, Dusheri and Langra) while the other cultivars were intermediate in production pattern (Alphonso, Amarelinha, Comprida Roxa, P. de Amoreira, Zill and Brasil). All can be recommended, except Langra and Dusheri, depending on the market preferences, since growth plant regulators are applied to give better uniformity in flowering and fruit production.