Paclobutrazol modifies tree vigour and flowering in mango cv. Alphonso.
Murti G. S. R., Upreti K. K., Kurian R. M., Reddy Y. T. N.
Author Affiliation: Plant Hormones Laboratory, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hessaraghatta Lake Post, Bangalore 560 089, India.
Indian Journal of Plant Physiology 6 : 355-360
Abstract : A field experiment was conducted in Bangalore, Karnataka, India, in 1996, 1997 and 1998 to determine the effect of paclobutrazol at 5 and 10 g a.i./tree on 17-year-old mango cv. Alphonso vigour and flowering. Paclobutrazol was applied as soil drench during August-September. Paclobutrazol at both concentrations reduced tree height, mean shoot length and number of dormant shoots, and increased flowering. Paclobutrazol treatment also resulted in high xylem:phloem ratio. Xylem sap volume decreased with paclobutrazol treatment. Treated trees had high levels of abscisic acid, cytokinin-zeatin riboside and dihydrozeatin riboside in xylem sap and leaves, and phenols in leaves. Leaf IAA decreased with under paclobutrazol treatment. These changes in the plants were greater at higher paclobutrazol rate.