Mango fruit development

Time from flowering to fruit maturity takes 3-6 months depending upon cultivar and temperatures. Among fruit growth follows a typical sigmoidal pattern with the seed developing first followed by a final rapid increase in mesocarp (pulp) as fruit near maturity.

Carbon assimilation by fruits is generally greatest during the early stages of growth with respiratory losses from exceeding photosynthetic gains for the duration of ontogeny.

The color of unripe pulp turns from creamy white to yellow-orange ripening in most cultivars while peel color turns from green to yellow of red often with a red or orange blush depending on the cultivar.

The color change in the peel is mainly cause by the conversion of chlorophyll to the colorless chemical called phytol.

Fruits with mesocarp that is dry at maturity are classified as dry fruits (such as grains, beans, peas and nuts) and fruits with a mesocarp that is least parity fleshy at maturity are classified as fleshy fruit.

Fully mature mango fruit are strictly those which have produced a fully developed seed and which have reached their full physiological potential in relation to seize increase and dry matter accumulation within the constraints of the growth environment.

If fruit are not harvested maturation and ripening occur on the tree. Ripe fruit fall to the ground, or are consumed by bats, primates, phalangers, birds or humans, either on the tree or after detachment.
Mango fruit development

Mango flower

Flowers - both male and female and are beautifully fragrant. The flower are small (8-10 mm diameter), with 5 greenish, yellow or pink petals.

The perfect flower has a unicarpellate pistil which consists of a globular ovary and a unilateral style.

Mango flowers are borne on terminal pyramidal panicles and are glabrous or pubescent; the inflorescene is rigid and erect, up to 30 cm long and is widely branched, usually tertiary, although the final branch is always cymose. Perfect flowers tend to be produced in largest numbers on the terminal portions of the panicle branches.

Flowering time is, closely link with the time of flower bud differentiation with variety and the area where it is grown.

The mango flower is adapted to insect pollination. Only small numbers of honeybees visit flower, so they are not important agents of pollination.

Temperature plays a key role in mango flowering and the response varies with cultivar. For flower induction, the ideal seems to be around 10-15° C.

Panicle growth does occur at 12.5° C, when no vegetative shoots s are produced.

However low temperature (less than 16° C) led to flower deformation, loss of pollen germination and slow pollen-tube growth and induce ovule abortion, with the production of seedless fruit.
Mango flower

Flowering of Mango

Flowering of Mango
Mango flowering is affected by many internal factors. A proportion of perfect below 1% could seriously hinder fertilization and subsequent fruit set, but the proportion can be improved by exogenous application of naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) (200 ppm) at flower bud differentiation.

The nature of flower production in mango is a complex phenomenon and has been investigated on the basis of two physiological theories.

The plant nutrition theory was considered inadequate to explain fruit bud differentiation in mango.

Secondly, a lot of speculative studies were conducted in mango on the release of specific flowering hormone by leaves without any specific success.

However, it was observed that excessive fruiting in the previous year, and unsuitable pruning and fertilization practices may delay the emergence of flushes and may be detrimental to the number of panicles and the bearing capacity of the flushes the following year.

It seems that photoperiodism and thermoperiodism play an important role in controlling g flowering in mango.

Although flower bud differentiation in mango takes place during the short days in the fall off season flowering during June was also observed near equator.

Hence, mango cannot be characterized as a short or long day plant unless a critical day length is found

It is well known that the Neelum variety of mango produces two crops a year in Kanyakumari in South India but flowers only once in North Indian conditions.

Experts found a lower percentage of hermaphrodite flowers on the eastern side of the tree, which gets more sunlight, and the highest on the north side. Shade tends to prevent and delay the formation of fruit buds.

Climatic conditions have significant influence on the time of flowering in mango.

In India flowering starts from December in the South, January in Bihar and Bengal, and February in eastern Uttar Pradesh, and in February-March in northern India.

The duration of flowering is 20-25 days in Dashehari, while panicle emergence occurs in early December and flower opening is completed by February.

Late flowering opening and subsequent fruit setting may lead to exposure to excessive heat, resulting in premature death of the ovary. Most of the varieties in northern India suffer from biennial/alternate bearing.

The fruiting in “on” and “off” years could vary according to variety, but in Dashehari the ration could well be 60:40.
Flowering of Mango