TOWARDS THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROBLEM OF MANGO MALFORMATION

A. Varma, S.P. Roychoudhuri, V.C. Lele, A. Ram
Mango malformation has been distinguished into two groups - vegetative and floral, depending on the parts malformed. The vegetative malformation is more pronounced in young plants due to production of 'dwarf' branches, whereas in older plants axillary buds of affected branches are swollen. These swollen axillary buds or 'scars' persist forming 'girdles' at nodes. Malformed panicles bear a larger number of flowers than normal forming panicles varying in compactness. Flowers on malformed panicles are usually bigger in size, possess scanty pollens and fewer malformed flowers are hermaphrodite. The root system of malformed plants also seems to be affected.

The extent of infection in infected trees plays an important role. In severely affected branches the infection is systemic. Fusarium moniliforme is found in all the scars, infected twigs, inflorescence axis and flowers. In infected twigs it is detected only in cortex and not in xylem or pith. However, the presence of mites is not essential for the expression of malformation in infected trees.

Mango malformation is widely distributed all over India, though the incidence is more in the North-West than in the North-East or the South. Climatic conditions may be playing an important role, resulting in the variation of the incidence of the disease. At least we have some indication that the disease is temperature sensitive.

Varma, A., Roychoudhuri, S.P., Lele, V.C. and Ram, A. (1972). TOWARDS THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROBLEM OF MANGO MALFORMATION. Acta Hortic. 24, 237-237
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.1972.24.45
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1972.24.45

Acta Horticulturae