Abstract
A study was conducted to determine the influence of fertilization, irrigation, shoot pruning, flower and fruit thinning on flowering, panicle characters, fruit setting, yield and fruit characters of mango cv. Langra at the farmers' orchard near Regional Agricultural Research Station, Jessore. Six field experiments were carried out for overcoming the erratic bearing in mango using different management practices during the years 2002 to 2004. Another experiment was conducted taking the best treatments of the six experiments during the year 2004. A wide range of variability in percentage of flowering, panicle and fruit setting characters, yield and fruit characters was observed among the treatments of fertilizer levels and its time of application. Split application of fertilizer- one half on 30 June and another half on 30 October produced the highest fruit yield in all the experimental years. The highest fruit yield was obtained from the trees applied with the maximum levels of fertilizer i.e. -1.5, 0.8, 0.5 kg N, P and K, respectively. Irrigation and its methods did not produce any significant role on flowering. Methods of irrigation (basin and flood) did not show any significant effect on flowering, yield and fruit characters. However, irrigation at 10-day interval improved initial fruit set and fruit retention of mango significantly and consequently influenced on total fruit yield. The treatment also improved the size and quality of fruit. Levels of fertilizer and irrigation interval significantly influenced the percentage of flowering, fruit retention, yield and quality of fruits of mango. The highest percentage of flowering was observed from the plants applied fertilizer at the maximum rate of 1.5, 0.8 and 0.5 kg N, P and K, respectively. The maximum fruit yield in terms of number and weight was produced by the plants of the same treatment in all the experimental years. Terminal shoot pruning soon after harvest produced significantly the highest percentage of flowering, number of initial fruit set per panicle, fruit retention as well as the largest fruit. Resultantly, the highest yield in terms of number and weight of fruit was produced by the same treatment in all the years under study. Flower thinning regardless of time in 'on' year showed significant influence for inducing flowering in 'off' year. The treatment of 75% flower thinning practiced at full bloom stage in 2002 and 2003 produced the highest percentage of flowering in the following years- 95.33 and 27.00% in 2003 and 2004, respectively. Flower thinning practices at an intensity of 25% at the stage of emergence of inflorescence produced the highest fruit yield in terms of number and weight. Similarly, fruit thinning in 'on' year showed significant influence on induction of flower in 'off' year and 75% fruit thinning practiced at marble stage in 2002 produced the highest percentage of flowering- 94.33 and 34.00% in the following years- 2003 and 2004, respectively. Fruit thinning at an intensity of 25% practiced at pea stage produced the maximum fruit yield of 17.75, 131.28 and 48.22 kg, in the years 2002, 2003 and 2004, respectively.