Effect of the application of Tierra-Sorb® (Bioiberica) on fruit retention, development and quality in mango

In Certain species and varieties, as is the case of mango, the grade of fruit setting is an important factor affecting final crop production. This parameter, basically regulated by the plant’s own genetics, can be negatively affected by external conditions and the nutritional state of the plan. Amino acids play an important role in plant physiology, regulating several processes. Besides, they are essential in the pollen and the style for a correct pollination and fecundation. Likewise, the application Tierra-Sorb® increases nutrient absorption and translocation, contributing to the nutritional balance of the plant. Another remarkable fact is that a positive effect from Tierra-Sorb® has been observed on fuit development. A higer fruit retention can negatively affect their later development. A higer fruit retention can negatively affect their later development. However, the product has evidenced in numerous trails that a higher fruit retention does not have a repercussions on fruit size.

Trial data

Organism: National Soil and Water Resources Research Center. Philippines

Location: Barangay Cuyambay, Tanay, Riza, Philippines.

Variety: Carabao Mango

Plantation area: 10 x 10m

Age: 16 years

Experimental design

Treatments:

- Control: Untreated

- TSF -1: Tierra-Sorb® foliar 250 c.c/hl.

- TSF-2: Tierra-Sorb® foliar 375 c.c/hl.

Tiral Size:

20 trees, 4 repetitions for each tretment.

Application: Foliar spray

Application timings:

- M1: 9 days after flowering induction

- M2: Fuit setting (bean size)

- M3: 1 month after M2 (peanut size)

- M4: 1 month after M3 (egg size)

Harvest:

121 days after treatment start.

Results

Table 1. Fuit retention percentage from the start of fruit development until harvest. Tierra-Sorb® treated trees retained higher fruit quantities, especially during the final phase of fruit grown. This lower fruit loss contributed decisively to obtaining a larger harvest.

Graph 1. Fruit size distribution. Tierra-Sorb® provided larger quantities of medium and high quality fruits, the dose of 375 c.c/hl being the most effective.

Graph 2. The application of Tierra-Sorb® significantly increased the quantity of fruits collected in each panicle as well as its weight. The greater the dose, the larger and more abundant were the fruits. The increases obtained with Tierra-Sorb® ranged between 35 and 109% for fruit quantity and between 52 and 162% weight.

Conclusions

- Tierra-Sorb® application in mango improves fruit retention in the tree and contributes to notably increase the number of fruits collected in each panicle.

- Tierra-Sorb® significantly improves fruit weight

- Tierra-Sorb® application increases sugar content in fruit

- Both Tierra-Sorb® doses studied resulted in a increase in production and quality, with a correlation between dose an effect, the higher the dose, the greater the effect.