Page 23 - FRUTAS DEL TRÓPICO

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RepRoductive physiology of mango

antarctic winter air rarely pushes deep into low altitude, tropical latitudes, flowering in these
regions is not governed by winter-summer cycles of low temperature, as are the subtropical

zones, which include south Florida and northern Mexico. The critical component regulating

floral induction of mangoes in the tropics is the age of the last flush (Davenport, 2000; Nuñez-

Elisea and Davenport, 1995; Davenport and Nuñez-Elisea, 1997). The older the age of the

last vegetative flush (terminal intercalary unit), i.e. greater stem maturity, the more likely it is to

flower when the next flush occurs. Some cultivars, such as ‘Haden’, ‘Keitt’, ‘Kent’, and ‘Irwin’

require less time in rest than do others, such as ‘Tommy Atkins’. Young trees and trees re-

ceiving high rates of nitrogen fertilizer in moist conditions initiate shoots frequently resulting in

vegetative shoot induction due to the short periods of stem rest between flushes. Successful
floral management in the tropics, thus, requires discouraging initiation of shoots before the

resting stems have reached sufficient maturity to induce flowering shoots. The basis for this

point was summarized by Davenport (2000).

Several operations must be performed at specific times in order for a flowering program

to be successfully accomplished on an annual basis. The flowering program can be started at

any time of the year regardless of the presence or absence of fruit. Other factors, however,

such as harvest of the previous season’s crop, timing of the dry and wet seasons, and high
susceptibility of flowers and fruit to disease during rainy seasons, are important considerations

when deciding on the starting date of the flowering program. The programs are summarized

in Tables 1 and 2.

Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas