Articles
RECENT UNDERSTANDING OF SPONGY TISSUE PROBLEM IN ‘ALPHONSO’ MANGO – A REVIEW
Article number
1066_20
Pages
169 – 175
Language
English
Abstract
India is leagues behind its export potential of Alphonso, the king among mango cultivars; due to spongy tissue disorder (ST) even decades after its detection, resulting in huge losses to the national exchequer.
Diverse views in the past, including the much-accepted convective heat theory of Katrodia (1988) failed to differentiate the cause from effect.
The problem remained an enigma until a paradigm shift in understanding the exact cause was conceptualized by Ravindra (1998, unpublished). Physiological and biochemical studies have vindicated the causative role of seed while radiotracer tritium studies demonstrated increased mobilization of water from ST-affected mesocarp into seed.
Absence of ST in mango stone weevil (MSW) infested fruits provided direct evidence of the role of seed.
Regulation of ST through manipulation of seed metabolic activity with PGRs opened up novel vistas for managing this disorder in Alphonso. Prevention of ST through down regulation of seed metabolism with paclobutrazol (PBZ) though provided valuable academic insights, has limited practical application due to export restrictions and the associated health hazards.
A few, eco-friendly formulations have been developed and tested successfully in field trials.
This paradigm shift in unraveling the cause of ST in Alphonso mango would go a long way to work out preventive strategies in managing physiological fruit disorders not only in mango but also in other fruit crops with recalcitrant seeds.
Diverse views in the past, including the much-accepted convective heat theory of Katrodia (1988) failed to differentiate the cause from effect.
The problem remained an enigma until a paradigm shift in understanding the exact cause was conceptualized by Ravindra (1998, unpublished). Physiological and biochemical studies have vindicated the causative role of seed while radiotracer tritium studies demonstrated increased mobilization of water from ST-affected mesocarp into seed.
Absence of ST in mango stone weevil (MSW) infested fruits provided direct evidence of the role of seed.
Regulation of ST through manipulation of seed metabolic activity with PGRs opened up novel vistas for managing this disorder in Alphonso. Prevention of ST through down regulation of seed metabolism with paclobutrazol (PBZ) though provided valuable academic insights, has limited practical application due to export restrictions and the associated health hazards.
A few, eco-friendly formulations have been developed and tested successfully in field trials.
This paradigm shift in unraveling the cause of ST in Alphonso mango would go a long way to work out preventive strategies in managing physiological fruit disorders not only in mango but also in other fruit crops with recalcitrant seeds.
Publication
Authors
V. Ravindra
Keywords
mango, spongy tissue, ‘Alphonso’
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