Plant and root morphological characters of mango as influenced by metal compounds as root pruning agent.
Chattapadhyay P. K., Chanda S., Suresh C. P., Hasan M. A.
Author Affiliation: Department of Fruits and Orchard Management, Faculty of Horticulture, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, Nadia, West Bengal - 741 252, India.
Orissa Journal of Horticulture 32 : 47-54
Abstract : Soil application of metal compounds, i.e. silver nitrate (0.05 mol/ml), cupric sulfate (0.07 mol/ml), zinc sulfate (0.07 mol/ml), nickel chloride (0.07 mol/ml), sodium tetraborate (0.07 mol/ml) and cobalt chloride (0.07 mol/ml), were performed during 1995/96 and 1996/97 at Mohanpur, West Bengal, India to assess the effect of these root pruning agents on mango seedlings. Application of metal compounds were done once, twice and thrice at the seedling age of 90, 210 and 330 days. Single as well as double application of silver nitrate, single/double/triple application of sodium tetraborate and triple application of cobalt chloride were more effective in reducing the plant height of 510-day-old seedlings. Triple application of silver nitrate and triple/double application of sodium tetraborate exhibited less number of leaves (128.7, 118.7 and 124.2, respectively) compared with the control (150.2) in 300- to 510-day-old seedlings. Silver nitrate, nickel chloride and sodium tetraborate reduced the basal girth compared with the control. The effectiveness of metal compounds in restricting tap root growth was in the order of silver nitrate > sodium tetraborate > cupric sulfate > cobalt chloride > nickel chloride > zinc sulfate > control.