Growth Promotion and Flowering Induction in Mango

(Mangifera indica L. cv "Ataulfo") Trees by

Burkholderia and Rhizobium Inoculation:
Morphometric, Biochemical, and Molecular
Events (Article)
de los Santos-Villalobos, S.a, de Folter, S.b, Dlano-Frier,
M.A.a, Guzmn-Ortiz, D.A.a, Pea-Cabriales, J.J.a
a

Centro de Investigacin y de Estudios Avanzados-IPN (CINVESTAV), Unidad Irapuato. Km. 9.6

Libramiento
b

J.P.a, Gmez-Lim,

Norte,

Carretera

Irap,

CP

36500

Irapuato,

GTO,

Mexico

Laboratorio Nacional de Genmica para la Biodiversidad (LANGEBIO), CINVESTAV-IPN, Km. 9.6

Libramiento Norte, Carretera Irapua, CP 36821 Irapuato, GTO, Mexico

View references (81)

Abstract
Inoculation of mango trees with Burkholderia caribensis XV and Rhizobium sp. XXV led to mango
growth promotion (dry biomass increased in root 89 %, stem 34 %, leaves 51 %, and foliar area 53
%), floral fate (floral buds 100 %), and increased number of flowers (100 %). Nitrogen content in
leaves was similar in inoculated and noninoculated trees, around 1.4 % (optimal condition for floral
induction). The total foliar nitrogen content increased significantly (56 %) when the microbial
inoculation treatment was applied. In addition, the initial content of sucrose, glucose, and fructose in
leaves was higher in the microbial inoculation treatment trees but decreased during the evaluated
period. The sucrose content in the noninoculated trees presented similar dynamics compared to the
microbial inoculation treatment trees, but glucose and fructose showed increased values compared
to those of the microbial inoculation treatment. FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) expression profiles
normalized to ACTIN showed similar dynamics but different expression levels: RQ values of 0.03
and 0.05 for noninoculated and microbial inoculation treatments, respectively. In addition, FT
expression profiles in microbial inoculation, normalized to the noninoculated treatment, showed an
increased FT expression dynamic over time (up to RQ = 2.2), although a drastic decrease in the last
sampling date, when all trees presented developed panicles and flowers, was observed. This FT
upregulation was in accordance with the flowering induction in that treatment. Temperature had an
important influence on mango flowering induction, which was observed for a 1-month period (~10
C at night and 20 C during the day). Bud growth that occurred during that period generated mixed
and floral buds depending on the exposure time to these inductive temperatures, less than 2 weeks
and more than 3 weeks, respectively. Data indicate that inoculation of mango trees with plant
growth-promoting rhizobacteria (associated with this crop) is a potential alternative way to promote
growth and induce flowering in mango, greatly reducing the high economical costs and
environmental contamination associated with traditional agricultural practices. 2013 Springer
Science+Business Media New York.

Floral induction of mango 'Tommy Atkins' at submedio

So Francisco Region, Brazil (Article)
Silva, G.J.N.a, Souza, E.M.a, Rodrigues, J.D.b, Ono, E.O.b, Mouco, M.A.C.c
a

Universidade

Universidade

Embrapa Semi-rido, Petrolina - PE, Brazil

Estadual
Estadual

da

Bahia,
Paulista,

Juazeiro
Botucatu

Bahia,

Brazil

SP,

Brazil

View references (21)

Abstract
Irregular production is a major problem in mango. In an attempt to overcome irregular bearing,
effects of two antigibberellins on flowering were evaluated, uniconazole (0.25 g of active ingredient
per meter of canopy tree diameter) and paclobutrazol (1.0 g of active ingredient per meter of
canopy tree diameter). Treatments were applied as a soil drench using 2 L of solution per tree, in a
commercial orchard of 'Tommy Atkins' mango. Treatments were applied after the second vegetative
flush commenced, subsequent to pruning. Branch growth was evaluated every 30 days after
treatment application up to a maximum period of 90 days. The flowering percentage was recorded
at 130 days. Ammonium nitrate (NH 4NO3) as a foliar spray (concentration of 0.75%) was applied
five times at seven day intervals from 95 to 100 days after treatment application as a dormancy
breaking treatment. It was found that both paclobutrazol (PBZ) and uniconazole (UCZ) significantly
inhibited the development of vegetative growth compared to the control. Both treatments resulted in
identical rates of flowering shoots, 87%; based on results, it can be concluded that the application of
antigibberellins (PBZ and UCZ) inhibit vegetative development in mango 'Tommy Atkins', and
promote high levels of flowering. Additional tests are being carried out in other farms to confirm
these findings, for different cultivars and seasons. ISHS 2013.

Plant regulators on vegetative growth of 'Tommy

Atkins' mangoes (Article)

Do C. Mouco, M.A.a, Ono, E.O.b, Rodrigues, J.D.b, Silva, G.J.N.c

a

Embrapa

Semi-rido,

Universidade

Estadual

Universidade Estadual da Bahia, Juazeiro - BA, Brazil

Petrolina
Paulista,

Botucatu

PE,
-

Brazil
SP,

Brazil

View references (21)

Abstract
Paclobutrazol applied to the soil is used for the production management of mango in most of
orchards on the semiarid region. However, it is necessary to identify other plant growth regulators
that might be applied to the leaves, so as to minimize the risk of residues in the soil and plant. The
present paper has the purpose to evaluate the effect of plant regulators in the management of
vegetative growth on mangoes 'Tommy Atkins'. Three plant growth regulators, sprayed to the
leaves, were evaluated: prohexadione-Ca, ethyl-trinexapac and chlormequat chloride, applied in
two dosages, and compared to paclobutrazol applied to the soil. In order to compare the effects of
the treatment, data were recorded on the vegetative growth (number and length of the shoots).
Furthermore, the levels of gibberellins in the apical area of the shoots of 'Tommy Atkins' were
quantified, from the beginning of the experiment until the beginning of floral induction. The results
showed that sprayings with prohexadione-Ca, trinexapac-ethyl and chlormequat chloride in a
dosage of 1.5 g a.i. plant-1plant was as efficient as a dose of 4.0 g a.i. plant -1 of paclobutrazol
applied to the soil, regarding the regulation of vegetative growth of 'Tommy Atkins'. ISHS 2013.

Hormonal changes in response to paclobutrazol

induced early flowering in mango cv. Totapuri (Article)

Upreti, K.K.a , Reddy, Y.T.N.b , Prasad, S.R.S.b , Bindu, G.V.a , Jayaram, H.L.a , Rajan,
S.c
a

Division of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hessaraghatta

Lake
b

Post

Bangalore
c

Office,

Bangalore

560

089,

Karnataka,

India

Division of Fruit Crops, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hessaraghatta Lake Post Office,
560

089,

Karnataka,

India

Central Institute of Sub-Tropical Horticulture, Rehmankhera, P.O. Kakori, Lucknow 227 107, Uttar

Pradesh, India
View references (40)

Abstract
Paclobutrazol has been found predominantly effective in the induction of early flowering and thus
finding scope for off-season production in mango. The precise physiological mechanism regulating
early floral induction is meagerly understood. The objective of the study was to examine the
hormonal relationships associated with floral induction in mango following paclobutrazol treatment.
The paclobutrazol applied as soil drench, @ 3.0ml/m canopy diameter during the 3rd week of
August advanced fruit harvest period by 22 days as compared to untreated trees by promoting early
flowering. The C:N ratio in shoots, leaf water potential (w) and ABA content in the paclobutrazol
untreated and treated trees increased progressively as shoots approached bud break stage. There
was increase in C:N ratio and leaf w, by the paclobutrazol with drastic increase at the bud break.
C:N ratio in shoot was positively related to ABA content in buds. Cytokinins - zeatin (Z), zeatin
riboside (ZR) and dihydrozeatin riboside (DHZR) in buds increased consistently from 30 days
before bud break till floral bud initiation. In paclobutrazol treated trees, increase in ZR and DHZR
contents in buds were positively related to leaf w. GA4, GA3, GA7 and GA1 were the prominent GAs
in the leaves and buds. In buds, these gibberellins followed trends opposite to that of cytokinins.
The paclobutrazol treatment declined GA4, GA3, GA7 and GA1 contents both in leaves and buds;
with buds being more receptive to paclobutrazol treatment. These results implicated that
paclobutrazol besides affecting gibberellins also increases ABA and cytokinin contents concomitant
with C:N ratio and leaf w in mango buds to elicit flowering responses. 2012 Elsevier B.V..

Response of Endogenous Hormone Concentrations to

Two Floral Inductive Treatments, viz. KNO3 and PBZ, in

Mango cv. 'Tommy Atkins' Growing Under Tropical

Conditions (Article)
Guevara, E.a , Jimnez, V.M.a , Bangerth, F.K.b
a

CIGRAS,

Institute for Special Crop Cultivation and Crop Physiology (370), University of Hohenheim, 70593

Universidad

de

Costa

Rica,

2060

San

Pedro,

Costa

Rica

Stuttgart, Germany
View references (34)

Abstract
Floral induction (FI) has been intensively studied in mango, more under sub-tropical than under
tropical environments. Decreases in temperature below 20 C, which is common in sub-tropical
regions but seldom occurs in many tropical ones, has been considered a critical factor for FI in this
species. Trying to understand the way by which two FI treatments, potassium nitrate (KNO 3) and
paclobutrazol (PBZ), can regulate flowering by modulating the endogenous concentrations of plant
hormones, the following compounds were analyzed in terminal buds, wood and bark sections of
lateral branches from treated and untreated 'Tommy Atkins' mango trees growing under tropical
conditions: indole-acetic acid (IAA), gibberellins (GAs), zeatin/zeatin riboside (Z/ZR) and N 6(2isopentenyl) adenine/N6(2-isopentenyl) adenosine. Behavior in the contents of these endogenous
hormones was often irregular but their course was in general similar for all three treatments.
However, levels of GAs were consistently lower in most evaluations of wood and bark sections of
PBZ-treated trees compared to KNO3-treated and control plants. In contrast, the endogenous levels
of the presumably FI promoting Z/ZR raised considerably at the time close to FI in buds of KNO 3treated trees. These KNO3-treated trees flowered earlier and more profusely than those from other
treatments. Although PBZ could be related in this work to a reduction in GA contents, no direct
influence of this compound over FI could be established. KNO 3 might partially exert its promoting
effect on mango FI by increasing Z/ZR contents. 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

Combination of paclobutrazol, potassium sulfate and

Ethephon on floral induction of mango cv. Tommy
Atkins (Article)
[Combinao do paclobutrazol, sulfato de potssio e
etefon na induo floral da mangueira cv. Tommy
Atkins]
Da Silva, J.A.L.a, Neves, J.A.b
a

Departamento de Planejamento e Politicas Agricola, Centro de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidade Federal

do
b

Piaui,

Teresina,

PI,

Brazil

Mestranda em Agronomia/Produo Vegetal, Centro de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidade Federal do

Piaui, Teresina, PI, Brazil

View references (30)

Abstract
Amongst the techniques used for the regulation of the vegetative growth of mango trees with the
purpose in floral induction, is common the arranged use of the substances Paclobutrazol,
Potassium Sulfate and Ethephon. Under conditions of semi-arid tropic the precipitated technique
has persuaded an abundant flower induction, however has produced inconsistent effects in the
conditions of warm and rainy climate. With the purpose to study that combination in the growth e
flowering of mango trees, variety Tommy Atkins, it was experimented in the mesorgion of Teresina
City, State of Piau, under conditions of humid tropic, using an experimental design of randomized
complete blocks, with an factorial arrangement 4 3: Four Paclobutrazol doses (zero; 0.7; 1.0 and
1.3 g of a.i. m-1 of diameter tree canopy) and three practices that combined applications of
Potassium Sulfate (2%), Ethephon (240 ppm) on three periods of floral induction, 90, 105 and 120
days, to the start of application of dormancy-breaking, which was counted from the Paclobutrazol
application. Plants untreated produced only vegetative branches and the various products and
periods of applications combinations tested showed low rates flowering and high rates of dormant
buds.

Uniconazole on mango floral induction cultivar 'Kent'

at submedio so francisco region, Brazil (Conference Paper)
Silva, G.J.N.a, Souza, E.M.a, RodriguesJ.D.b, Ono, E.O.b, Mouco, M.A.C.c
a

Universidade

Universidade

Embrapa Semi-rido, Petrolina-PE, Brazil

Estadual

da

Estadual

Bahia,
Paulista,

JuazeiroBotucatu-

Bahia,

Brazil

SP,

Brazil

View references (22)

Abstract
In order to provide efficient crop management which enables the scaling of the production of mango
in semi-arid conditions and achieve a greater precision in the recommendation, evaluating the effect
and the influence of uniconazole foliar spray, on the emission of vegetative flushes in the cultivar
'Kent', field tests were carried out in a productive orchard. Treatments tested were three
uniconazole dosages, 500, 1,000 and 1,500 mg L-1, with one, two or three respective foliar
sprayings. Another treatment with paclobutrazol was used at 2.0 g a.i./m of canopy diameter, with a
single application via soil and a control (without spraying of plant growth regulators), where
spreader-sticker was added and the pH was adjusted. With 30, 60 and 90 days after the first
spraying of the flowering inducer the growth of branches were evaluated, as well as the percentage
of flowering in all treatments after 120 days of first spraying. The sprayings started in the orchard
after the emission of the second vegetative flush after pruning of production, through airassisted
sprayer with flow rate of 1,000 L ha-1. The experimental design was done through randomized
blocks with four replications, using three plants per plot. It was observed that paclobutrazol was
significantly highlighted in relation to other treatments and that the uniconazole with one, two and
three foliar sprayings presented inhibition of the vegetative growth in mango 'Kent' and showed,
even at low proportions, signs of flowering.

The stem age required for floral induction of

synchronized mango trees in the tropics (Article)
Ramrez, F.a , Davenport, T.L.b, Fischer, G.c, Pinzn, J.C.A.d
a

Facultad de Ciencias Biolgicas, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Carrera 7 No. 40-62, Bogot,

Colombia
b

Tropical Research and Education Center, IFAS, University of Florida, 18905 SW 280 Street,

Homestead,
c

United

States

Facultad de Agronoma, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Avenida Carrera 30 No 45-03, Bogot,

Colombia
d

Departamento de Filosofa, Facultad de Humanidades, Universidad Pedaggica Nacional, Calle 72 No.

11-86, Bogot, Colombia

View additional affiliations

View references (28)

Abstract
The quantitative floral inductive role of the age of the last vegetative flush was investigated in
replicated trials of two cultivars of mango (Mangifera indica L.), Keitt and Tommy Atkins, growing in
tropical conditions of Cundinamarca State in Colombia. Empirical observations have indicated that
stems must be in rest for sufficient time, generally 4 to 5 months, to be induced to flower in the
absence of cool temperatures.Twelve trees per cultivar were tip-pruned to stimulate a synchronous
flush of vegetative growth at the beginning of the experiments. The first of four sets, each consisting
of three replicate trees among the 12, were sprayed with 4% potassium nitrate on a 2-week
schedule beginning 2 months after the pruning date. Biweekly sprays continued in this first set until
a growth response was observed, whereupon the set was retired from further observations, and the
second set of three synchronized trees began receiving biweekly spray treatments until they
initiated a growth flush. The schedule continued through the four successive sets of trees until the
age of stems necessary to induce a flowering response was determined. Treatment applications
were quantified using a one-m-square quadrate to determine the numbers of resting stems and
vegetative and /or reproductive shoots contained within. KNO 3 sprays applied 3 months after the
pruning date stimulated initiation of vegetatively induced shoots in both 'Keitt' and 'Tommy Atkins'
trees. Synchronous generative shoot initiation in 'Keitt' trees occurred in 75% and 100% of the
stems after KNO3 sprays applied 5 and 6 months after the pruning date, respectively. Tommy Atkins,
a cultivar that is more difficult to induce to flower than 'Keitt', had 18% of shoots flowering after the
5-month application and 100% flowering after the KNO 3application 6 months after the pruning date.
None of the nontreated orchard trees flowered during this time. Stem age was the key factor
correlated with flowering. The experimental trees, which were naturally habituated to experience
two flowering periods per year, each within separate sections of tree canopy, were stimulated to
produce one annual synchronized flowering event throughout the tree canopy as a result of the
treatments.

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) flowering

physiology (Review)
Ramrez, F.a , Davenport, T.L.b
a

Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Carrera 7 No 40-62, Bogot, Colombia

Tropical Research and Education Center, IFAS, University of Florida, 18905 SW 280 St., Homestead,

FL 33031, United States

View references (84)

Abstract
Mango flowering is an important physiological event that sets the start of fruit production. Initiation is
the first event that takes place for mangoes to flower. Coincident with shoot initiation, induction
occurs based on the conditions present at the time of initiation. Numerous studies with mango trees
support the existence of a florigenic promoter (FP) that is continuously synthesized in mango leaves
and induces flowering. Translocation experiments suggest that the FP is carried from leaves to buds
in phloem. Induction appears to be governed by the interaction of the FP and a vegetative promoter
(VP). The FP is translocated as far as 100cm in subtropical conditions and 52cm in tropical
conditions. In the tropics, floral induction occurs in stems that have attained sufficient time in rest
since the previous flush. The age of the last flush is the primary factor governing flowering in the
tropics as evidenced by experiments in Colombia. Tip pruning is ideal to synchronize vegetative
flush events in the canopy. Potassium nitrate (KNO 3) has been shown to stimulate flowering in
sufficiently mature stems. Tip pruning and foliar applied KNO 3 are effective methodologies that
induce synchronous flowering especially in Colombia. Cool temperatures are important for mango
floral induction under subtropical conditions. Mangoes grown in the low-latitude tropics rely less on
low temperature. Soil and leaf analyses should be conducted to evaluate the nutrient status of
trees. 2010 Elsevier B.V.

Influence of pruning and potassium nitrate and

potassium tiosulphate application on the flowering
characteristics of mango (Mangifera indica L.)
cultivars Irwin and Tommy Atkins in the Maracaibo
plain, Venezuela (Article)
[Influencia de la poda y la aplicacin de nitrato
potsico y tiosulfato potsico sobre las
caractersticas florales del mango (Mangifera indica
L.) cultivares Irwin y Tommy Atkins en la planicie de
Maracaibo, Venezuela]
Quijada, O.a , Herrero, B.bc , Gonzlez, R.bc, Casanova, A.d , Camacho, R.a
a

Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agrcolas del Estado Zulia, INIA- ZULIA, Km 7. Via a Perij, Apto.

1316.

Maracaibo,

estado

Zulia,

Venezuela

Universidad

ETS

Facultad de Agronoma, Universidad del Zulia, Avenida Goajira, Maracaibo, estado Zulia, Venezuela

de

de
Ingenieria

Agraria

Valladolid,
Avenida

de

Madrid,

57

Spain
3.400

Palencia,

Spain

View additional affiliations

Abstract
The Maracaibo plain has acceptable agroecological conditions for mango production. In this study,
the influence of pruning and both potassium nitrate and potassium tiosulphate applications were
evaluated on flowering characteristics of the cultivars Irwin and Tommy Atkins, which are produced
in this region. The research was conducted on the Maracaibo plain, at the Centro Frutcola
(CENFRUZU), Mara County, Zulia State, Venezuela. A factorial design was used, with two
treatments of pruning at two levels (with and without pruning), two flowering inductor levels
(potassium nitrate KNO3 6% and potassium tiosulphate TSK 1%), plus a control treatment, without
neither pruning nor promotors. The treatments were located at random using two cultivars: Irwin
and Tommy Atkins with four plants per treatment. The experiment was repeated during two
productive cycles (2003-2004 and 2004-2005). For each cycle, two different experiments were
carried out considering the treatment application date: early and late induction, for a total of four
experiments. Panicle length and width, panicle number per plant, number of hermaphrodite and
masculine flowers, and hermaphrodite and masculine flowers ratio were evaluated. On the Irwin
cultivar, the panicles number increased from 550% to 600% with the application of potassium
nitrate, during early induction and 200% during the late one. On the Tommy Atkins cultivar, the
effect of potassium nitrate on panicles number was lower. The hermaphrodite-masculine flowers
ratio increased with the potassium nitrate application on the Irwin cultivar during early induction.
Panicle size decreased when potassium tiosulphate was applied in combination with pruning in both
cultivars and induction dates. These results showed that potassium nitrate combined with pruning
on the Irwin cultivar produced the best effect on floral characteristics, when compared to the control.

Unravelling the mechanism of mango

flowering (Conference Paper)
Protacio, C.M.a, Quinto, J.E.a, Serrano, E.P.b, Marquez, I.P.b, Rodriguez, F.M.c
a

Dept. of Horticulture, University of the Philippines, Los Baos College, Laguna 4031, Philippines

Postharvest Horticulture Training and Research Center, University of the Philippines, Los Baos

College,
c

Laguna

4031,

Philippines

Institute of Plant Breeding, University of the Philippines, Los Baos College, Laguna 4031, Philippines

View references (20)

Abstract
A mango flowering model previously presented (Protacio, 2000) had three assumptions: (1)
Gibberellic acid (GA) is a floral inhibitor that prevents a mature mango tree from flowering (2)
Decreased GA levels beyond a certain threshold leads to the development of floral initials probably
through the accumulation of carbohydrates (3) Floral bud break will occur when sprayed with
"flower-inducing" chemicals like potassium nitrate, thiourea or ethylene. This model was tested
using 13-year old 'Carabao' mango trees wherein the level of gibberellic acid (GA 3) was artificially
reduced through application of 1.0 gram of paclobutrazol (PBZ) per meter canopy diameter. Levels
of GA3, total non-structural carbohydrates, and presence of floral initials in the terminal shoots were
followed monthly. Three months after PBZ application, GA3 content of shoots in PBZ- treated trees
decreased by more than 79% compared to the control. At this time, 56% of the terminal shoots in
PBZ-treated trees had floral initials and none in the control trees. By the fourth month, shoots with
floral initials in PBZ-treated trees increased to 86% while 42% of the control trees also had floral
initials just before KNO 3 was sprayed. At the same time, a peak in the 1-aminocyclopropane 1carboxylic acid levels also coincided with the development of floral initials in PBZ-treated trees;
indicating a possible involvement of the ethylene biosynthetic pathway in floral initiation in mango.
The development of floral initials was accompanied by a decrease in GA 3 levels and a concomitant
increase in starch levels in the apical buds, leaves and stem. Induction of flower bud break by 2%
KNO3 resulted in a flower intensity index of 4 (flowers all over the canopy) and longer inflorescences
in PBZ-treated trees while control trees exhibited a flower intensity index of 2 (less than 25% of the
canopy have flowers). This study validated the model by demonstrating that mango shoots must
have low GA content to allow total non-structural carbohydrates, primarily starch, to accumulate in
the leaves and buds leading to the early formation of floral initials. Floral initials were present before
KNO3 application indicating that this chemical merely induces bud break of quiescent pre-existing
floral buds and is not responsible for the transformation of vegetative buds to reproductive ones.

Floral induction in mature, perennial angiosperm fruit

trees: Similarities and discrepancies with
annual/biennial plants and the involvement of plant
hormones (Review)
Bangerth, K.F.
Department of Special Crop Cultivation and Crop Physiology, University of Hohenheim, 70593 Stuttgart,
Germany
View references (133)

Abstract
Floral induction (FI) in perennial fruit trees is distinct from that of annual/biennial (a/b) plants
because it is a quantitative process with a significant proportion of the above-ground meristems
remaining vegetative, while in a/b-plants all the meristems are induced at once, which terminates
the life of the plant. Currently, regulatory mechanisms of floral induction in perennial angiosperm
trees are inadequately described, particularly with respect to physiological/molecular mechanisms
that prevent the partial or total inaccessibility of genes or meristems for reacting to particular floral
promoters, one of the most important prerequisites of perenniality. Epigenetic modifications, which
have been studied almost exclusively in a/b-plants and not in perennial trees, are a likely possibility
for achieving this "perenniality" of trees and are therefore described in some detail in the following
review. Due to the lack of research on this phenomenon, the description of this paragraph is largely
speculative. In trees, these epigenetic modifications as well as other regulatory events require
endogenous long-distance signals (LDS) due to their physical size and the much larger distances
that often separate receptive buds from the origin of the LDS participating in FI. Plant hormones are
the most likely candidates as LDS, and due to their general significance in plant physiology, they
are given particular attention in this review. Gibberellins and the polar transport of indoleacetic acid
are presented as possible inhibitors, and cytokinins are examined as being possible promoters of
floral induction in angiosperm trees, whereas hormones that are less likely to be involved in FI are
only mentioned briefly. Finally, a method to induce out-of-season flowering for mango and longan is
presented. This "out-of-season" technology provides an exceptional possibility to study hormonal
changes that occur after, e.g., natural low temperature vs. artificial, e.g., paclobutrazol- or
potassium chlorate-induced FI. 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Flowering and production of mango fruits (Mangifera

indica L.) cv. rosa promoted by different paclobutrazol
doses (Article)
[Florescimento e frutificao de mangueira (Mangifera
indica L.) cv. rosa promovidos por diferentes doses de
paclobutrazol]
Cardoso, M.G.S.a , Jos, A.R.S.b , Viana, A.E.S.b, Matsumoto, S.N.b, Rebouas, T.N.H.b
a

Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia, CEP 45.100-000 , Vitria da Conquista-BA, Brazil

Depto. de Fitotecnia e Zootecnia, UESB - Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia, Estrada do

Bem Querer, Km4, CEP 45.100-000 , Vitria da Conquista-BA, Brazil

View references (9)

Abstract
Efficient techniques as the floral induction allow the establishment of commercialization strategies
for favorable periods of market and economical success in the cultivation of mango fruits. An
experiment, was conducted in order to study the effect of different paclobutrazol doses (PBZ) on the
flowering and production of mango fruits Cv. Rosa. The experiment design used was formed by
randomized blocks with four treatments with five replications. The treatments were composed of:
T1-control (only water); T2- PBZ- 0,40g a.i./m canopy; T3- PBZ- 0,80g a.i./m canopy; and T4. PBZ1,20g a.i./m canopy. The evaluation consisted of the following characteristics: flowering anticipation,
number and fruits production per plant. The obtained results were submitted to regression analysis
and Dunnet test. It was observed a higher percentage of flowering and fruit production for T2
(0,40g) T3 (0,80g) and T4 (1,2g) in comparison to the Control. The PBZ treatment also anticipated
flower initiation and fruit harvest, what means production out of season higher prices and more
profitability.

Effects of various inductive periods and chemicals on

flowering and vegetative growth of 'Tommy Atkins'
and 'Keitt' mango (Mangifera indica) cultivars (Article)
Yeshitela, T.a , Robbertse, P.J.a, Stassen, P.J.C.b
a

Dept. of Plant Prod. and Soil Sci., University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa

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

View references (23)

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 noninductive 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 (10/15C). 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 10/15C (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.

Floral induction in axillary buds of mango (Mangifera

indica L.) as affected by temperature (Article)
Shu, Z.H., Sheen, T.F.
Fengshan Tropical Horticultural Experiment Station, TARI, Fengshan, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

Abstract
The effect of temperature on flower induction of axillary buds of 3-year-old 'Haden' mango trees was
studied. The trees were de-blossomed by pruning the stems 5 cm below the base of distal panicles
and exposed to 3 temperature regimes ( 31 25, 25 19 and 19 13C) in 8 treatments under a 12-h
photope. Axillary flower induction was greatest on the mango trees subjected to the lowtemperature treatment of 19 13C for 2 or more weeks. The subsequent temperature following 1week exposure at 19 13C also influenced the number of axillary buds to develop. A negative
relationship existed as the number of axillary buds increased as the temperature decreased. The
flowering percentages of the plants treated at 19 13, 25 19 and 31 25C were 87, 60 and 0,
respectively, when the temperature was held constant. The physiological condition of the plants may
also be a critical factor in the flowering induction sequence of mango. 1987.