Register      Login
Animal Production Science Animal Production Science Society
Food, fibre and pharmaceuticals from animals
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > AN > EA03185
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 45(10)

Effects of pruning on flowering, yield and fruit quality in mango (Mangifera indica)

T. Yeshitela A C , P. J. Robbertse A and P. J. C. Stassen B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Plant Production and Soil Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa.

B Department of Horticulture, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch 7600, South Africa.

C Corresponding author. Email: tefe28@yahoo.com

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 45(10) 1325-1330 https://doi.org/10.1071/EA03185
Submitted: 11 September 2003  Accepted: 20 July 2004   Published: 15 November 2005

Abstract

The effects of 7 pruning treatments were studied in 2 mango cultivars (‘Keitt’ and ‘Tommy Atkins’) in the Hoedspruit region of the Northern Province of South Africa. Trees that received panicle pruning (during full bloom) treatment at the point of attachment were observed to be induced for synchronised re-flowering, and also attained early fruit set and more fruit per panicle than the other panicle pruning treatments. Trees on which renewal pruning (early in the season when fruits were on the tree) as well as postharvest pruning treatments were applied, have been observed for development of adequate number of productive inflorescences per season in an early-maturing cultivar, Tommy Atkins. Postharvest pruning treatments also resulted in significant increase of postharvest vegetative growth in both cultivars. Promising improvement in yield could be expected after the second season from panicle pruning in Tommy Atkins. The fruit quality, especially with regard to total soluble solids (TSS), was also greatly improved due to the applications of renewal and postharvest pruning treatments. Inflorescence removal together with apical whorl of leaves subtending the inflorescence had adverse effects for the various parameters studied in both cultivars.

Additional keywords: apical bud, apical whorl of leaves, deblossoming, postharvest pruning, renewal pruning.


Acknowledgments

The authors thank Bavaria Fruit Estate for use of mango trees for the trial, Mr J. Fivas who suggested valuable ideas on the technical aspects of the experiment and his team who helped during data gathering and harvesting.


References


Chang MT, Leon MF (1987) Delay fruit harvest by pinching mango inflorescence. In ‘Proceedings of the symposium on forcing culture of horticultural crops’. pp. 119–128. (Taichung: Taichung District Agricultural Improvement Station)

Fivas J, Stassen PJC (1996) The effect of time of pruning and fruit thinning on yield and fruit quality of ‘Sensation’ mangoes. South African Mango Growers’ Association Yearbook 16, 49–54. open url image1

Gazit S (1975) ‘Increasing the bearing capacity of mango by removal of early season inflorescences.’ pp. 71–74. (Scientific Activity, Ministry of Agriculture: Israel)

GenStat  (2000) ‘Genstat for Windows. Release 4.2.’ 5th edn. (VSN International: Oxford)

Issarakraisila M, Considine JA, Turner DW (1991) Pattern of vegetative and reproductive growth of mango trees in a warm temperature region of Western Australia. Acta Horticulturae 291, 188–197. open url image1

Lin S, Chen Z (1981) Preliminary observations on flower bud differentiation of Mangifera indica L. Acta Horticulturae 8, 9–14. open url image1

Mullins PDF (1986) Effect of varying climatic regimes on flower behaviour and pollination in ‘Sensation’ and ‘Haden’ mango trees. South African Mango Growers’ Association Yearbook 6, 3–42. open url image1

Oosthuyse SA (1991) Stages of development of the mango panicle. South African Mango Growers’ Association Yearbook 11, 59–61. open url image1

Oosthuyse SA (1994) Pruning of sensation mango trees to maintain their size and effect uniform and later flowering. South African Mango Growers’ Association Yearbook 14, 1–5. open url image1

Oosthuyse SA (1995) Pruning of mango trees: an update. South African Mango Growers’ Association Yearbook 15, 1–8. open url image1

Oosthuyse SA (1997) Tree size maintenance pruning of mango trees after harvest: is cropping negatively affected or not? South African Mango Growers’ Association Yearbook 17, 33–36. open url image1

Oosthuyse SA, Jacobs G (1996) Flowering synchronization of ‘Sensation’ mango trees by winter pruning. Acta Horticulturae 455, 422–430. open url image1

Ram S (1993) Factors affecting mango tree architecture. Acta Horticulturae 341, 177–191. open url image1

Reece PC, Furr JR, Cooper WC (1946) The inhibiting effect of terminal bud on flower formation in the axillary buds of the ‘Haden’ mango. American Journal of Botany 33, 209–210. open url image1

Singh RN, Majumder PK, Sharma DK, Sinha GC, Bose PC (1974) Effect of de-blossoming on the productivity of mango. Scientia Horticulturae 2, 399–403.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | open url image1

Snedecor GW, Cochran WG (1980) ‘Statistical methods.’ 7th edn. (Iowa State University Press: IA)

Stassen PJC, Grove HG, Davie SJ (1999) Tree shaping strategies for higher density mango orchards. Journal of Applied Horticulture 1, 1–4. open url image1

Stover EW (1999) ‘Relationship between intensity of flowering and cropping in fruits and nuts.’ (American Society for Horticultural Science 99 Workshop No. 6: Florida)

Wolstenholme BN, Whiley AW (1995) Ecophysiology of the mango tree as a basis for pre-harvest management. South African Mango Growers’ Association Yearbook 15, 10–17. open url image1