Page 466 - FRUTAS DEL TRÓPICO

466 Frutas del trópico

stunting, terminal and marginal necrosis, dieback of young stems and limbs and tree death. Mango
decline control includes frequent applications of iron, manganese, and zinc; however this may not

always be successful. Maintaining tree health is the best way to avoid this problem.

The cause of internal breakdown of mango fruit pulp (mesocarp) has not been conclu-

sively determined although the inherent genetic predisposition to the disorder and excessive

nitrogen applications has been linked to the disorder. Symptoms include softening/breakdown

of the fruit flesh at the distal fruit end, open cavity at the stem end, over-ripe flesh next to the

seed, and spongy tissue with a grayish-black color in the flesh. Internal breakdown may be

decreased but not eliminated by reducing nitrogen fertilizer rates and applying lime (addition

of calcium) to the soil.

Environmental stress and management
Mango is subjected to numerous environmental stresses including:

1. Drought symptoms include young leaf wilting, chlorosis, desiccation, and abscission; fruit

drop, reduced fruit size; stem and limb dieback; reduced crop yields; tree death.Solutions

to prevent drought stress include wide plant spacing, deep rooting, mulching, and irrigation.

2. Flood symptoms include young leaf wilting; occasionally tree death. Solutions to prevent floo-

ding stress include site selection, mounding, bedding, establishment of ditches, canals, and

contouring the orchard, installation of subsurface drainage and hardpan disruption.

3. Freezing symptoms include leaf wilting, water soaking, desiccation, abscission; stem and limb

dieback; limb breakage, trunk splitting and tree death. Solutions to prevent freezing stress

include proper site selection, use of high volume irrigation and wind machines.

Universidad Autónoma de Chiapas