RELATIONSHIP OF MACRO AND MICRONUTRIENTS CONTENT WITH SOME GROWTH, PRODUCTION, DENDROMETRIC AND CLIMATIC VARIABLES AT THE VEGETATIVE AND REPRODUCTIVE PHASES OF MANILA MANGO

In Mexico, the Manila is the most appreciated mango variety, in terms of both surface and fruit production, however it is a cultivar which has been poorly studied with regards to the endogenous as well as the exogenous factors that participate in its growth, development, and production. This study was carried out for a period of two years in trees older than 30 years, on which leaf samples were taken and climatic variables were evaluated. Growth, development and production variables were also assessed on a yearly basis in order to determine the interrelations of this parameters with the macro and micro nutrient content in the leaves at the vegetative and reproductive phases. The results indicated that at the vegetative phase and at the blossoming and fructification stages, P was the most interactive although in a negative rather than in a positive manner, followed in importance by K, Mg and Fe; fruit yield, on the other hand, was not related to nutrients but to some growth, dendrometric, and practically all the production variables. In the general correlation, P was the most interactive, being followed in importance by Fe, Mn, N, Mg, Ca, Cu, K and Zn; and yield was related only to some growth variables, but mostly to those of production parameters. It is possible that the leaves sampling technique is not appropriate and it might be necessary to adjust it or develop a new one; and it seems that some nutrients and growth, production, dendrometric and climate variables require a considerable amount of observations to detect the interaction, especially at the vegetative phase and at the blossoming and fructification stages.