ISHS Acta Horticulturae 820: VIII International Mango Symposium
INVESTIGATION ON CAUSES AND CORRECTION OF SPONGY TISSUE IN ALPHONSO MANGO (MANGIFERA INDICA L.) |
| Author: | M.E. Raja |
| Keywords: | mango, spongy tissue causes, correction by nutrition |
| Abstract:
In India, Alphonso is the most important commercial cultivar of mango cultivated in 0.13 m ha (out of the total 1.3 m ha under mango) mainly in Konkan, west coast of Maharastra. Due to the incidence of a ripening disorder called spongy tissue (ST) and decline in yield (3-4 t ha-1) its commercial viability has been severely affected. Since it has been observed that soil, climate and nutrition play important role, in causing the disorder it was investigated by carrying out the following studies. Survey of the orchards for soil and leaf nutrient status b) Examination of soil profiles in healthy and affected orchards to relate soil and leaf nutrient status to spongy tissue incidence. It indicated, that affected orchards were severely deficient in B (<25 mg kg-1) in leaf which is much less than the critical level and moderate in zinc (Zn) and magnesium (Mg) deficiency. The soils were very acidic in affected orchards (pH 4.5 to 5.1) with high exchangeable aluminum (Al) (more than 0.42 cmol (+) kg-1) affecting the feeder roots whereas in healthy orchards the soils had a pH of 5.1 to 5.8 with less exchangeable Al (<0.03 cmol(+) kg-1). The study on the relation between climate and spongy tissue indicated that in humid climate spongy tissue is more whereas in semi arid climate it was significantly less. Within the humid region, the spongy tissue is more when fruit is harvested in May (summer) when temperature is 38-42°C whereas in March it is significantly low (temperature 28-32°C). ST is more in closely paced orchards (6 m x 6 m) than widely spaced ones (10 m x 10 m). A field experiment carried out in Konkan, to correct the disorder, revealed that correction of B and Zn and Mg by foliar spray resulted in significant reduction of ST in pruned trees only, whereas in the unpruned trees there was no substantial reduction. Increase in leaf and specific leaf weights and carbohydrate were related to incidence in spongy tissue. | |
Download Adobe Acrobat Reader (free software to read PDF files) | |
