Trends in Biosciences

A field experiment was conducted to find out the effect of different chemicals on flowering and fruit set in mango (Mangifera indica L.) cv. Alphonso under ultra high density planting during 2013–2014 at Jain Irrigation Systems Limited (JISL) Farms, in Tamil Nadu. Eleven treatments were imposed on five-year-old uniform sized Alphonso trees grown under a spacing of 3 x 2 m. The treatments are T₁: Paclobutrazol-1.0 g a.i/m of canopy diameter, T₂: T₁ + KNO₃-2% foliar spray, T₃: Uniconazole-0.5 g/lit, T₄: Uniconazole-0.75 g/lit, T₅: Uniconazole-1.0 g/lit, T₆: Uniconazole-1.5 g/lit, T₇: Ethephon-500 ppm, T₈: T₁+T₇, T₉: Ethephon-1000 ppm, T₁₀: T₁+T₉ and T_n: control. The maximum length of panicle was recorded by the treatment T₉ and was on par with T₇ and T₁1, while the least was recorded by T₁₀ and was on par with T₂. The maximum number of panicles per m² canopy area was recorded by the treatment T₈ and was on par with T₆. However, the least was recorded by T_u (control). The maximum number of panicle per tree was registered in the treatment T₆ and the highest percentage of shoots with panicle was recorded in the treatment T₁₀ and was on par with T₈, while, the lowest by T₁1. The treatment T₂ recorded the minimum number of days for first flowering and was on par with T₁, T₁₀ and T₆. The minimum number of days taken for 50 per cent flowering was recorded by T₆which was on par with T₂, T₁₀, T₁ and T₈. The maximum days taken for first flowering and 50 per cent flowering were recorded by the treatment T₁₁. The treatment T₂ recorded the highest percentage of hermaphrodite flowers per panicle and was on par with T₈. The treatment T₆ recorded the highest percentage of fruit set and was on par with T₅, while, the least percentage of hermaphrodite flowers per panicle and percentage of fruit set were recorded by T₁₁(control).