Effect of rootstock and interstock on the fruit quality of mango (Mangifera indica L.).
Casierra-Posada F., Guzmán J. A.
Author Affiliation: Grupo de Investigación Ecofisiología Vegetal, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias, Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia (UPTC), Tunja, Colombia.
Agronomía Colombiana 27 : 367-374
Abstract : In a 21 year old orchard in Tolima (Colombia), the present study evaluated the effect of 'Arauca' (dwarfing) and 'Hilacha' (vigorous) mango genotypes - interchangeably used as rootstock and interstock - on the behaviour of varieties Irwin, Tommy Atkins and Davis-Haden as scions. The evaluated fruit quality parameters were: diameter, length, firmness, pH, fresh weight, total soluble solids (TSS), total titratable acidity (TTA) and TSS/TTA ratio. While the scions showed significant differences for all the quality parameters, no rootstock effects were detected for any of them. Fruit firmness, pH, diameter and titratable acidity were influenced by interstock, while fresh weight, fruit length, TSS and TSS/ATT ratio remained unaffected. Statistical differences were observed between all the evaluated scion/interstock/rootstock combinations for all quality parameters except for fruit firmness. For example, similar fruit weight values were found in comparing combination Tommy Atkins/Hilacha/Arauca to Tommy Atkins/Arauca/Hilacha, and in comparing Tommy Atkins/Hilacha to Tommy Atkins/Hilacha/Arauca. This suggests that the use of 'Arauca' as rootstock or interstock for 'Tommy Atkins' as scion increases fruit weight, in spite of the fact that 'Arauca' is less vigorous than 'Hilacha'.