An analysis of possible causes for poor flowering in mango under Bangalore conditions.
Murti G. S. R., Upreti K. K.
Author Affiliation: Division of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hessaraghatta Lake P.O., Bangalore 560 089, India.
Indian Journal of Horticulture 61 : 289-291
Abstract : Both regular and irregular bearing mango cultivars showed extremely poor and delayed flowering in 1998 in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. The cultivars Totapuri and Alphonso showed predominantly vegetative growth in the second half of March 1998 with negligible flowering. The estimated period of peak flower bud differentiation in Bangalore was set at November to early December. The night temperature in Bangalore during the first week of December 1997 (17°C) was far above the averages of 1994-97 (10°C). Similar trends were observed with respect to mean and mean maximum temperatures, but at a lower magnitude. As temperatures of 18/10°C (close to an average of 15°C) are considered optimum for flower induction, the higher temperatures, especially night temperatures (>17°C), prevailing during the flower induction period in October to December seemed to have a detrimental effect on this parameter. Even cool temperatures induced a vegetative flush instead of inflorescence, when growth of the bud did not take place during this period. It was predominantly the effect of high temperature, especially night temperature, which prevailed during October to December during flower induction and differentiation periods, possibly accentuated by slightly higher rainfall in October-December, that culminated in poor flowering in mango.