Effect of dose and source of potassium on yield and quality of 'Alphonso' mango (Mangifera indica).
Shinde A. K., Dabke D. J., Jadhav B. B., Kandalkar M. P., Burondkar M. M.
Author Affiliation: Dr Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli, Maharashtra 415 712, India.
Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences 76 : 213-217
Abstract : A field experiment was conducted in Maharashtra, India, from 2001 to 2003, to study the effect of different rates and sources of potassium fertilizer on the yield and quality of mango cv. Alphonso. Results revealed that a soil application of 50 kg farmyard manure, 1.5 kg N, 0.5 kg P2O5 and 1.0 kg K2O in the form of sulfate of potassium per tree in the first fortnight of June and application of 0.75 g ai paclobutrazol/m canopy diameter during the second fortnight of July to the first fortnight of August with 3 foliar sprays of 1% KNO3 at the peanut, marble and egg stage increased yield and quality of mango cv. Alphonso. This treatment increased the flowering (11.89%), fruit retention (34.28%), fruit yield (28.93%), fruit weight (5.15%), ascorbic acid (26.99%), organoleptic score for texture, flavour, colour and storage life and reduced physiological weight loss (22.79%) and spongy tissue (68.08%) compared to the previous recommendation of soil application of 50 kg farmyard manure, 1.5 kg N, 0.5 kg P2O5 and 0.5 kg K2O per tree during August.