Effect of foliar sprays of growth regulators and micronutrients on incidence of mango malformation.
Vinod Rajput, Rajput B. S., Sudhir Dhakad, Trivedi H. K., Jain R.
Author Affiliation: Krishi Vigyan Kendra, College of Agriculture, Khandwa, M.P., India.
International Journal of Agricultural Sciences 9 : 104-107
Abstract : Malformation disease is not merely a serious threat but a menace to the mango industry in several mango growing areas of the world. It does not result in any malformation of mango fruits as may become notated from its name, but produces abnormal vegetative shoots and inflorescence which do not bear fruits. Floral malformation is a major problem in mango cultivation in India causing heavy loss in yield. Therefore, an incite was made to minimize the menace by the foliar application of different growth regulators and micronutrients at the flower but initiation/flower bud stage. It was found that spraying 200 ppm NAA increased the leaf index, length of flower panicles, fruit set, reduction of malformation and even the bio-chemical status like carbohydrate, nitrogen and enhanced RNA and DNA level. Whereas length of terminal shoots, percentage of hermaphrodite flower and level of mangiferin was enhanced by 50 ppm GA3. Foliar application of 50 ppm AgNO3 reduced the duration of flowering and intensity of floral malformation, yet increased the RNA and DNA and magnese content. Even the micronutrient like 0.3% ZnSO4 effect on increase of leaf index and sex ratio was noticed.