Vegetative and Reproductive Development of 'Ataulfo' Mango under Pruning and Paclobutrazol Management

Pruning of the plant canopy and paclobutrazol application to the root zone are agronomic practices that improve harvest yield in mango (Mangifera indica L.) orchards. To assess the effect of pruning and paclobutrazol treatment on the vegetative and reproductive development of 'Ataulfo' mango, three pruning dates (20 April, 20 May, and 20 June) and three concentrations of paclobutrazol (PBZ) (7.5, 11.25, and 15 mL of active ingredient) were used. While control trees presented only one vegetative growth during the productive cycle, trees that were pruned and treated with PBZ had up to three vegetative growth cycles before flowering, regardless of whether pruning occurred in April, May, or June. The number of vegetative shoots and inflorescences (m(-2)) were equal when trees were pruned and PBZ was applied. When pruning was performed in April or May, the time of harvest occurred 28 days earlier compared to the control. Pruning in April numerically resulted in the greatest production efficiency (7-11 kg m(-2)). For all the three pruning dates, fruit production of trees treated with PBZ and pruning was from 38 to 98 kg; these values were always less than those obtained for the control trees. The greatest incidence of seedless fruits (57-80%) occurred when pruning was performed in June.