ISHS Acta Horticulturae 275: International Symposium on the Culture of Subtropical and Tropical Fruits and Crops
ETHYLENE AND OTHER ENDOGENOUS FACTORS POSSIBLY INVOLVED IN MANGO FLOWERING |
| Authors: | T.L. Davenport, R. Nunez-Elisea |
| Abstract:
Growth responses of ‘Keitt’ mango (Mangifera indica L.) trees to deblossoming, defoliation and/or girdling during the flowering period were characterized. Apical panicles on branches were removed to stimulate growth and the branches defoliated and or girdled in various ways to characterize a putative floral stimulus. A labile, phloem-translocated, flowering stimulus produced in mature leaves may explain the floral initiation of axillary buds. The morphological and chronological development of "transition" shoots (those displaying a transition from vegetative to flowering in the same growth event) suggests that the stimulus can induce floral differentiation after vegetative bud growth has commenced. Ethylene production by whole plants, buds, leaves, and stems of field-grown 'Tommy Atkins' trees measured prior to and during inflorescence development during floral promotive and non-promotive conditions did not exceed basal production levels. Production was substantially increased in trees sprayed with ethephon (2-chloroethyl phosphonic acid); no increase was noted in trees sprayed with potassium nitrate or water. Although ethephon and KNO3 reportedly stimulate mango flowering in the tropics, were ineffective during the floral promotive and non-promotive periods in South Florida. The consistent lack of correlation between ethylene production and flowering suggests that floral induction of mango may not be mediated by increased ethylene synthesis in leaves or buds. | |
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