New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science abstracts

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Effects of various inductive periods and chemicals on flowering and vegetative growth of ‘Tommy Atkins’ and ‘Keitt’ mango (Mangifera indica) cultivars

T. Yeshitela
P. J. Robbertse

Department of Plant Production & Soil Sciences
University of Pretoria
Pretoria 0002, South Africa
email: tefe28@yahoo.com

P. J. C. Stassen

Department of Horticulture
University of Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa

Abstract  The effects of potassium nitrate and paclobutrazol on flowering and vegetative growth of ‘Tommy Atkins’ and ‘Keitt’ mango (Mangifera indica) were studied for various periods in inductive and non-inductive temperature regimes. The experiment was done at the University of Pretoria experimental farm in a temperature-regulated cabinet on 2-year-old potted ‘Tommy Atkins’ and ‘Keitt’ mango cultivars. ‘Keitt’ was more sensitive towards low temperature floral induction than ‘Tommy Atkins’. For both cultivars, the trend for the interaction of duration and cultivar revealed the possible floral induction complementation effect of PBZ after the trees stayed only 15 days at the inductive temperature (10/15°C). Paclobutrazol also significantly reduced vegetative growth and number of days required for visible inflorescence emergence in both cultivars. Potassium nitrate promoted the initiation of buds for vegetative growth in non-inductive temperature conditions and reproductive growth in inductive conditions. The minimum inductive period at 10/15°C (12 h light/12 h dark) required for “complete” floral induction and development was found to be 35 days for both cultivars. Surpassing the inductive (cold) period showed adverse effects on normal development of the reproductive parts and also delayed inflorescence emergence.

Keywords  cold units; flowering; paclobutrazol; potassium nitrate; vegetative flush

H03101; Received 30 October 2003; accepted 23 March 2004; Online publication date 15 June 2004
New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science, 2004, Vol. 32: 209-215
0014-0671/04/3202-0209 $7.00 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2004

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