Interstock effect on the vegetative growth of three mango cultivars at Teresina, Piauí State, Brazil.
Veloso M. E. da C., Vasconcelos L. F. L., Souza V. A. B. de, Moura L. de S.
Author Affiliation: Embrapa Meio-Norte, Cx. Postal 1, CEP 64006-220 Teresina, Piauí State, Brazil.
: 223-226
Abstract : A study was conducted in Teresina, Piauí, Brazil, to evaluate the performance of 3 mango cultivars (Tommy Atkins, Van Dyke and Rosa), with and without interstock. Seedlings were planted in January and grafted in May to July 1995, using Fiapo as the rootstock and Mallika, known as a dwarfing cultivar, as the interstock. Field planting was carried out in February 1996, using a plant spacing of 9.0×7.0 m. There were 6 treatments consisting of Tommy Atkins grafted on Fiapo, Van Dyke grafted on Fiapo, Rosa grafted on Fiapo, Tommy Atkins with interstock of Mallika and rootstock of Fiapo, Van Dyke with interstock of Mallika and rootstock of Fiapo, and Rosa with interstock of Mallika and rootstock of Fiapo. Plant height, canopy diameter and stem diameters of the rootstock (10 cm below graft), interstock (half way between the 2 grafts) and graft (10 cm above graft) were measured each year during 1997-2001. The results showed that the interstock did not reduce mango tree growth. However, significant differences were observed among cultivars, with Rosa showing the lowest values for all characteristics evaluated.