EFFECT OF WATER STRESS ON MANGO FLOWERING IN LOW LATITUDE TROPICS OF NORTHERN AUSTRALIA

In the sub-tropics, night temperatures of 15°C or lower induce mango floral morphogenesis whereas temperatures of about 20°C or higher promote vegetative growth.
In the tropics where temperatures may remain too high for induction of flowering by cool nights, a dry period preceding flowering is generally believed to be necessary for reliable mango flowering.
However, the effect of the soil water deficit on flowering response is still a matter of controversy.
Our studies, for the first time, examined the effect of soil water stress on flowering in mango trees grown under quasi-natural conditions (in open-air and in 200-litre drums) in the low latitude tropics.
Controlled soil water deficit lasting 5 weeks was demonstrated to promote earlier and more intense flowering in mango trees of both ‘Kensington’ and ‘Irwin’ cultivars.
Final fruit yield was also higher in water- stressed trees.
Environment genotype effects on mango flowering were also discussed.

VI International Symposium on Mango

P. Lu, E.K. Chacko

Mangifera indica L., soil water deficit, temperature

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2000.509.31