Morphology and anatomy of the burl disorder of mango (Mangifera indica L.) in India.
Saran P. L., Ratan Kumar, Sangeeta Gupta
Author Affiliation: G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Horticulture Research and Extension Centre, Dhakrani, Dehradun - 248 142, Uttarakhand, India.
Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology 86 : 443-445
Abstract : Burl, typically manifest as a swelling of the trunk and lower branches, is a relatively unknown disorder of mango (Mangifera indica L.). We studied the incidence of the disorder in trees of each of three mango cultivars in India, and its effect on fruit yields over 2 years. Information was also collected on the relationship between the growth of the burl and the age of the trees, together with details of the anatomy of the affected tissues. 'Langra' had the highest incidence of the disorder (80.3% of 24 studied trees affected) and the largest burl (31.8 cm diameter), followed by 'Chausa' (17.5%; 16.4 cm), then 'Gulab Jaman'(7.5%; 4.0 cm). Burl significantly reduced fruit yields in 'Langra' (121 kg tree-1 in affected trees vs. 162 kg tree-1 in normal trees), but not in 'Chausa' (110 vs. 129 kg tree-1) or 'Gulab Jaman' (100 vs. 98 kg tree-1). The sizes of the burls increased as the ages of the trees increased from 15 to 55 years, especially in 'Langra' and 'Chausa'. No pathogens or insects were found to be associated with the affected tissues. The woody tissues in the burl lacked orientation and were not specifically aligned in a transverse, radial, or tangential direction. Further studies are warranted to determine the cause of this disorder and how it can affect fruit yields.