Interaction of orientation and light intensity with floral biology, pollinator and hopper population in mango.
Azizur Rahman S. M., Gajendra Singh
Author Affiliation: Department of Entomology, G.B.Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, 263 145, India.
Journal of Applied Bioscience 31 : 49-54
Abstract : A field study was conducted in Uttaranchal, India, during the 2000/01 cropping season, to determine the effect of orientation and light intensity on panicle length, percent hermaphrodite flowers, fruit set, hopper (Idioscopus clypealis, Amritodus atkinsoni and Idioscopus niveosparasus [Idioscopus niveosparsus]) and pollinator populations in mango. At bloom and post-bloom stages, panicle length, percent hermaphrodite flowers and fruit set varied with variations in orientation. Panicles projecting towards the south under sunlight have maximum numbers of pollinators and those projecting towards the south-east under shade have maximum number of hopper populations, whereas those projecting towards the north-west under shade have minimum numbers of hopper populations at both bloom and post-bloom stages. The percent hermaphrodite flowers were maximum (30%) in the north side and on late-flushed panicles. Fruit set and pollinator population was also more abundant on late-flushed panicles, whereas panicle length was maximum on early-flushed panicles. Light intensity was positively correlated with panicle length and pollinator population and negatively correlated with percent hermaphrodite flowers and hopper population. Panicle length had positive correlation with pollinator and hopper populations, whereas percent hermaphrodite flowers showed positive and negative correlations with pollinator and hopper populations, respectively. Fruit set was negatively correlated with hopper populations.