Production and fruit quality of different mango cultivars fertilized with boron

Abstract

Boron is the micronutrient that affects most the mango yield and fruits quality. The present study had as objective to evaluate the effect of the boron application in the fruits characteristics of 36 mango cultivars. The experimental design used was randomized blocks in factorial arrangement 36 x 2 (cultivars x boron application), with five replications of five fruits. In 2008, 2009 and 2010, 10 g of boric acid were applied in one plant of each variety. Five ripe fruits were plucked from plants that received or not the boron application. In each fruit were appraised: total weight, peel, pit and pulp (g); % of pulp; content of total soluble solids (TSS) (ºbrix); and infestation of fruit flies. The cultivars Adams, Alda, Carabao, EspadaVermelha, Haden and Mabrooca responded positively to the boron application in the fruit production.The increase in weight of the fruits with the boron application in the plants was verified for the cultivars Carabao, Haden, Petacon and Winter. The cultivars Carabao and Haden presented the highest susceptibility to the absence of the micronutrient boron among the studied varieties.