ISHS Acta Horticulturae 455: V International Mango Symposium
THE EFFECT OF FRUIT THINNING AND TREE PRUNING ON TREE STARCH RESERVES AND ON FRUIT RETENTION OF "SENSATION" MANGO TREES |
| Authors: | S.J. Davie, P.J.C. Stassen |
| Keywords: | carbohydrate, starch analysis method, |
| Abstract:
The "Sensation" mango tree sets very large numbers of fruit which it nurtures to an advanced stage before abscission reduces the crop to a level the tree can handle. It has been shown however that if a tree that has set a large crop is left to its own devices it will tend to abscise far more fruit than is necessary thus reducing the yield to below levels the tree is in fact capable of supporting. In addition the delay in ridding itself of the excess fruit results in a wastage of carbohydrate which is eventually reflected in the smaller size of the remaining fruit. Two methods of thinning fruit load were tested prior to the expected time of natural abscission and the reserve carbohydrates in these trees were compared with that of the controls, which were trees left to abscise naturally, and also with trees where the complete fruit load was removed at the time the fruit on the test trees were thinned out to about half the number they were carrying. The influence of fruit load on the starch concentrations in the roots and wood of the trees is clearly demonstrated and it was apparent that the fruit thinning process should probably have been carried out earlier to reduce the drain on tree reserves. | |
Download Adobe Acrobat Reader (free software to read PDF files) | |
