GROWTH AND FLOWERING OF MANGO (MANGIFERA INDICA L.) AS AFFECTED BY PRUNING OF MALFORMED PANICLES

A study was conducted at Horticultural Research Sub-Station, Dera Ghazi Khan, Pakistan during 2005-07. Branches having malformed panicles of mango (cv. Malda) were pruned upto 6, 9, 12 and 18 inches beneath the malformed panicles (T1-T4), while each of four treatments was followed by spray of TopsinM fungicide (T5-T8). These treatments were compared with control (T9= unpruned and non-sprayed plants) for time taken to first sprout, survival of branches (%), number of new flushes and normal panicles (%). The results revealed that pruning upto 18 inches seemed to be unsuitable where survival of treated branches decreased to 42 percent or more having a fewer number of new flushes (1.2-1.25) and normal panicles (11-27%). Pruning upto 9 inches was the most optimum level where first sprout took 13 days and branches survived upto 83-100 percent, with maximum number of new flushes (2.5-2.65) and normal panicles (34-38%). The branches under control took 30 days for first sprout, having 100 percent survival but had minimum number of new flushes (0.5) with zero normal panicles. Pruning followed by spray of Topsin-M showed better effect than that of pruning alone.