Response of drip irrigation on different tree architecture of mango cv. Dashehari for quality production

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted with an objective of improving the yield and quality of mango cv. Dashehari (15 year old) planted at 6.0 x 9.0 m spacing accommodating 185 plants per hectare. The experimental plot was irrigated with drip irrigation system having four emitters per plant of eight LPH capacity based on irrigation level of 80 per cent pan evaporation (PE) replenishment against ring basin irrigation methods used in control. The black polyethylene mulching (100µ thickness) was used to cover 40 per cent area of tree canopy. Recommended dose of fertilizer was applied at different phenological stages. The impact of different canopy shape viz. conical shape, flat top, open centre on light distribution pattern and gas exchange parameters along with flowering and fruiting pattern was studied. There were significant change in light distribution pattern among different shape being maximum diffused light (7777 mol m-2 s-1) in open centre and minimum in flat top (4791 mol m-2 s-1). Among gas exchange parameters photosynthesis rate (13.15 ì mol m-2 s-1) was also found maximum in the open centre as compared to other shape (8.4 to 12.7ì mol m-2 s-1) of canopy. Enhancement in flowering, maximum fruit yield in open centre (63.0 kg tree-1) followed by flat top (59.6 kg tree-1), conical shape (54.3 kg tree-1) and minimum yield (48.6 kg tree-1) in control was recorded. Maximum ‘A’ grade fruit (27%) was also observed in open centre with application of irrigation at 80 per cent PE per day per plant against minimum ‘A’ grade fruit (11%) recorded in the control.