Effects of Floral Disbudding on ‘Irwin’ Mango Flowering and Fruit Set

抄録

To clarify the effects of floral disbudding on mango flowering and fruit set, floral buds in each panicle were partly removed one week before flowering started into three treatments, i.e., leaving the basal, middle or apical portion of the panicle. Flowering and fruit set were subsequently recorded. A similar flowering order was observed in disbudded panicles and those without disbudding as a control; the number of hermaphrodites increased rapidly during the early–mid period of flowering, and the number of staminate florets also increased rapidly during the mid–late period. The number of hermaphrodites tended to be larger in the middle portion of the panicle. The percentage of hermaphrodites markedly increased by floral disbudding, it was higher than 40% when the basal or middle portion of panicle remained, while it was low approximately 30% in the control panicles. The percentage of hermaphrodites was higher in the panicle containing a smaller number of total florets. The number of fruit set tended to increase in each panicle portion by floral disbudding. The number of fruits containing normal seeds per panicle was largest when the middle portion of panicle remained, while the smallest in the basal portion of the control panicles. The percentage of fruits containing normal seed was highest (50%) when the middle portion of the panicle remained, while the percentage was lower (25%) in the control panicles. In mango, floral disbudding was found to be feasible for reducing a risk of male-dominated flowering and nubbin-fruit setting.