Effect of pre-flowering sprays of micronutrients on flowering, fruit set, fruit drop and yield of mango cv. Amrapali ​

Abstract

Being the national fruit of India, mango possess a significant position in its history, tradition culture and economy. This delicious and nutritious fruit contains considerable amounts of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in abundance. The plant flowers in panicle at the end of winter and fruit drop is a common problem which is manifested due to several causes and micronutrient deficiency is one of major cause. The present study was conducted at the instructional farm of Institute of Agriculture, Visva Bharati, Sriniketan which comes under humid sub-tropical region of West Bengal, India during the year 2020 and 2021 to study the effect of pre-flowering sprays of zinc and boron on panicle emergence and panicle growth of mango cv. Amrapali. The experiment comprised of 9 treatment combinations of pre flowering sprays of zinc sulphate (ZnSO4, 7H2O) and borax (Na2B4O7, 10H2O) replicated 3 times as T1: Control (distilled water), T2: ZnSO4 @ 0.5%, T3: ZnSO4 @ 1.0%, T4: Borax @ 0.5%, T5: Borax @ 1.0%, T6: ZnSO4 @ 0.5% + Borax @ 0.5%, T7: ZnSO4 @ 0.5% + Borax @1.0%, T8: ZnSO4 @ 1.0% + Borax @ 0.5% and T9: ZnSO4 @ 1.0% + Borax @ 1.0%in Randomized Block Design (RBD). Highest number of total flowers and hermaphrodite flowers per panicle were recorded under ZnSO4 @ 1.0% + Borax @ 1.0% spray (T9). Apart from these, higher percentage of fruit set and lower fruit drop in all the stages have also been observed ZnSO4 @ 1.0% with Borax @ 1.0% treatment (T9). Same treatment also exhibited maximum yield in both the years. Thus, foliar application of ZnSO4 @ 1.0% and Borax @ 1.0% can be used at pre-flowering stage in mango (cv. Amrapali) for good flowering, high fruit set and less fruit drop.