Forced production of mango (Mangifera indica L.) planted at high density (278 trees ha-1) in the growth period.
Avilan L., Rodríguez C. M. R. M., Ruíz J.
Author Affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agrícolas (INIA-CENIAP) Maracay, estado Aragua, 2101, Apartado postal 588, Venezuela.
Revista de la Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad del Zulia 22 : 99-111
Abstract : A field experiment was conducted in Venezuela, from 1996 to 2000, on mango cultivars Haden, Tommy Atkins, Springfels and Edward, grafted on Criollo, planted at 6×6 m (278 trees/ha), to evaluate the pruning effect at 2 m, the paclobutrazol (PBZ) effect when applied to the soil (2.5 g ai per tree) and the flowering promoter, 6% potassium nitrate, on the vegetative growth and yield. The treatments comprised: Checker (T); T + PBZ; pruning (P) and P + PBZ; P + lateral branches at a radius of 2 m (P + L); and P + pruning of internal primary branches (P + E). The increase of canopy volume (ICV), yield (kg/tree) and productive efficiency (kg/tree/m3) were evaluated. The largest pruning increased the canopy volume, with a concomitant reduction of fruit yield, due to the moderate pruning increase and the productive efficiency. Yields (t/ha) from 1996 to 2000, for the different treatments were 19.29 T, 24.6 T + PBZ, 19.7 P, 19.6 P + PBZ, 18.1 P + E and 13.2 P + L. The yields were higher (>200%) than the trees with a low density system (69 trees/ha). In general, the growth period of the fruit trees, characterized by a large volume growth in the productive life cycle of the tree, is the most critical to be controlled to reduce free height.