Effect of temperature on inflorescence development and floral biology of mango (Mangifera indica L.)

Abstract

Trees of two mono-embryonic (‘Irwin’ and ‘Sensation’) and two poly-embryonic (‘Nam Dok Mai’ and ‘Kensington’) mango cultivars were exposed to winter temperatures to induce flowering. They were subsequently transferred into controlled environment glasshouse rooms under day/night temperature regimes of 15/5, 20/10, 25/15 and 30/20°C for 20 weeks.
Inflorescence development only occurred on trees that were maintained at 20/10, 25/15 and 30/20°C. Higher temperatures generally increased the inflorescence size while there was an inverse effect on the mean number of flowers per inflorescence with 619.6 at 20/10°C decreasing to 431.3 at 30/20°C. There was an inverse relationship between the length of the anthesis period and temperature. Low temperatures at 20/10°C decreased the percent hermaphrodite flowers in poly-embryonic cultivars but increased the percentages in mono-embryonic cultivars. Style length and stigma width was reduced when the trees were held at 20/10°C compared to those trees held at either 25/15 or 30/20°C. Trees of ‘Kensington’ grown at 20/10°C mainly produced flowers which had short styles (0.62 mm) and small stigmatic surfaces while ‘Nam Dok Mai’ and ‘Irwin’ trees produced some flowers which had deformed ovaries or fused ovaries. A decrease in percent hermaphrodite flowers and floral changes which occur in poly-embryonic cultivars when inflorescences develop under low temperatures (20/10°C), are likely factors contributing to their low fruit set when grown in subtropical climates.