IS ENDOGENOUS ETHYLENE INVOLVED IN MANGO FLORAL INDUCTION?

T.L. Davenport, R. Nunez-Elisea
Ethylene production by entire, containerised plants, and by resting or growing apical buds, leaves and stems of field-grown trees was measured prior to and during inflorescence development, during floral promotive (December) and during non-promotive (June) conditions in 'Tommy Atkins' mango. In all cases, ethylene production did not exceed basal production levels. During a 98-hour time course, leaves treated with ethephon (2-chloroethyl phosphonic acid; 125, 500 or 2000 ppm) significantly increased ethylene production while those sprayed with potassium nitrate (KNO3; 2% or 8%) or water did not. Both products have been ineffective in stimulating mango flowering during the floral promotive and non-promotive periods under South Florida conditions. The consistent lack of correlation between ethylene production and flowering suggests that floral induction of mango may not be mediated by increased ethylene synthesis in leaves or buds.
Davenport, T.L. and Nunez-Elisea, R. (1991). IS ENDOGENOUS ETHYLENE INVOLVED IN MANGO FLORAL INDUCTION?. Acta Hortic. 291, 85-94
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.1991.291.11
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1991.291.11

Acta Horticulturae