Mango (Mangifera indica L.) pollination: A review

Flowering and pollination are key reproductive events leading to mango fruit development. The mango inflorescence is a branched terminal panicle or determinate thyrse. Mango flowers are either male (staminate) or hermaphroditic, containing both stamens and carpels (perfect). Sex ratio (the proportion of perfect to staminate flowers) is a variable component within panicles, trees and among cultivars. Endogenous, genetically regulated events and environmental factors influence sex ratio. Pollen grains are 20-45 mu m long. Mango pollination commences with deposition of pollen on the stigmatic surface of the style. Pollen germination is different among cultivars. Mango pollen viability is highest soon after anther dehiscence and rapidly degrades. Mango viability is an important feature for breeding programs. Floral anthesis occurs in the morning or at night depending on cultivar. Mango has self-cross-pollination, self-incompatibility and self-sterility systems; however, some cultivars are semi-compatible or fully compatible. Wind is important in mango pollination. Outcrossing rates using molecular markers have been poorly studied around the world, and more studies need to be conducted in this particular field of research. In vitro mango pollen germination has been used widely. This review provides the current state of knowledge of pollination from a diverse array of environments and climatic conditions ranging from subtropical to tropical environments were mango is grown. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.