Studies on fruit-bud differentiation in Mango (Mangifera indica)

Abstract

The time of fruit-bud-differentiation in mango is known to be governed by localweather conditions, which varies from place to place. To some extent, it also varies withvarieties grown under the same climatic conditions. The knowledge of the time of fruit-buddifferentiationunder a particular set of climatic conditions for a given variety would enablethe orchardists to schedule the manuring, irrigation and other cultural operations to havebetter yield. The fruit-bud-differentiation is a crucial event in the growth and developmentof mango, as it marks the change in partitioning and transport of metabolites from source tosink between the vegetative and reproductive organs which are governed by the growthhormones. The physiological and biochemical factors governing fruit-bud-differentiation inmango have not been adequately studied. Little is known about the role of naturallyoccurring growth substances and other metabolites involved in fruit-bud-differentiation.Need for such studies is all the more important, since these naturally occurring growthsubstances are now recognized as important factors controlling the ontogeny of flowering inhigher plants.