Effects of nitrogen and calcium supply on the incidence of internal fruit breakdown in 'Tommy Atkins' mangoes (Mangifera indica L.) grown in a soilless system.
Cracknell Torre A., Cid Ballarín M. C., Socorro Monzón A. R., Fernández Galván D., Rosell García P., Galán Saúco V.
Author Affiliation: Dpto. Fruticultura Tropical, Instituto Canario de Investigaciones Agrarias, Apartado 60, 38200 - La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands.
: 387-393
Abstract : Tommy Atkins mangoes grafted on 13-1 were grown in soilless system with basaltic lapilli as substrate to study the effect of N (0.7 and 5.4 mmol/litre) and Ca (0.6 and 2.5 mmol/litre) supply on internal fruit breakdown (IFB). Water consumption and nutrient uptake were calculated by difference between quantities supplied and drained. Fruits were harvested at full maturity, and the degree of IFB, mesocarp mineral content and yield for each treatment were assessed. Nutrient uptake increased as fruit developed, in a greater proportion for Ca than for N, decreasing from the onset of physiological maturity. A significant interaction between the effects of N and Ca was observed for all the studied variables. At low Ca treatments, total yield and Ca content of fruits were remarkably decreased in the presence of high N. The degree of IFB and total N content of fruits were remarkably greater in the high N treatments, although to a lesser extent in the higher Ca level. The incidence of IFB showed a high positive correlation with the fruit N content and a negative relation with the Ca content.