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FRUITING
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Fruits
determine the income of orchard farmers. The quantity
and quality of the harvest depends on the fruiting habit
of the tree (prolific, biennial or alternate bearing) as
well as cultural management that includes fertilization,
irrigation, water stress, pest and disease control, and
weather condition.
Pomologist define fruit as the excess food manufactured
by the leaves through photosynthesis. And to have excess
food, the plants must be supplied with raw materials
such as NPK fertilizer with trace element. It should
also be provided with adequate water so that roots will
absorb and supply the nutrients to the leaves for
photosynthesis activities.
To maintain the food reserve, always remove unnecessary
branches and leaves (that are not exposed to sunlight)
and watersprouts because these will consume the excess
food manufactured by the leaves thus depriving the plant
the ability to bear more fruits.
To make the fertilizer effective for fruit production
it must be applied at least 3 months or more prior to
expected flowering.
Though trees must be physiologically mature to bear
fruits, grafted mangoes can produce fruits even when
less than two years old. But if grown from seeds, the
tree shall mature and bear fruits only after 10 to 12
years.
In addition, grafted lanzones reaches its reproductive
age after five to seven years while those grown from
seeds reach their physiological maturity only after 15
to 25 years.
No amount of fertilizer, growth hormone or retardant
can make the tree bear fruits if it is not
physiologically mature or if hasn't reached its
reproductive age yet.
Biennial Fruiting or Alternate Bearing Trees
Almost all local fruit trees yield biennially or
alternately which mean that they do not regularly bear
fruits. This is the usual problem encountered by many
carabao mango planters. Consequently, farmers use
smudging, a traditional but very laborious way of
inducing local mangoes to flower.
Fortunately,
after the discovery of Potassium Nitrate (KNO3) as
flower inducer for carabao mangoes, it is now possible
to make the tree bear fruits anytime of the year.
Nevertheless, precautionary measures should be taken
since excessive use of KNO3 shortens the life span of
mango trees. Even a century old tree will be affected by
excessive application of KNO3.
To prevent untimely death of mango trees due to
excessive usage of the said flower inducer, observe the
vigor of the tree by regular fertilization of chemical
and organic fertilizer. See to it that the carabao mango
yearly changes its entire leaves or produce new shoots
or flushes. This is the normal year cycle of carabao
mango trees. It will take 5-8 months from the date of
flushing before the trees are ready to bear fruits. If
the mango has yet no excess food for fruiting, shoot
will come out instead of flowers when sprayed with KNO3.
Knowing When A Mango Tree is Dying
A dying tree particularly Carabao mango can be detected
and prevented by knowing the life cycle. Every year, the
Carabao mango changes its entire leaves of the crown.
After 5-8 months from flushing or leaf-change, the tree
is now ready to bear fruits- the quality and quantity of
which depends on the fertilizer applied and weather
condition.
Once a
Carabao mango tree did not change its entire leaves or
even one half (1/2) of the crown, do not spray the tree
with KNO3. The tree is now suffering stress due to
over-spraying of the said chemical. At this stage, do
not spray flower inducers because doing so will lead to
the tree's death.
To save a dying Carabao mango tree, stop spraying KNO3.
Instead, rejuvenate the dying tree by treating it with
growth hormone and fertilizer.
Flower induction for Carabao Mango
In terms of flower induction and fruit setting, the
Carabao mango is the most delicate tree among local and
imported varieties. Although it will flower profusely
when induced with KNO3, with the absence of pesticides,
pests and diseases may wipe out all the flowers or
fruits. But with knowing proper timing on controlling
pests and diseases, Carabao mango fruit productions will
be easier for the orchard grower.
Most farmers
take advantage of off-season fruiting not knowing the
risks it entails along with the high cost of chemicals.
Because of humid environment and rains, systematic
fungicide should be used which costs P1,500 to P2,000
per kilo compared to ordinary fungicides used during
season fruiting which cost only P300 per kilo.
Under traditional practice, Carabao mango growers let
the trees to the care of nature and spray KNO3 only when
flowering season comes. But because the tree's natural
fruiting habit is biennial fruiting or alternate
bearing, when a tree heavily fruit this year; expect it
to bear only half or even no fruit at all the next if
you will not apply it with any complete fertilizer with
trace element.
To make Carabao mango tree prolific and to enhance its
physiological maturity, plant double or triple rootstock
of superior prolific varieties like Guimaras Carabao
mango G.E.S. # 77, #84, and #85; Talaban; Fresco; Lamao
# 1 ad MMSU gold registered and approved by the National
Seed Industry Council. These superior varieties of
Carabao mango command higher prices than ordinary local
Carabao mangoes. Shy bearer and inferior strains of
Carabao mango will never give the owner good harvest or
income.
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