What to Do About Mango Flower and Fruit Drop? Causes and Control Methods
Mango is a tropical fruit with relatively high economic value and is also a fruit we quite enjoy. It is nutritious, rich in sugar, protein, vitamins and various other nutrients needed by the human body. The phenomenon of flower and fruit drop during cultivation seriously affects its yield, so what are the causes of mango flower and fruit drop? Below, the editor will introduce the causes of mango flower and fruit drop and control methods.
1. Temperature
During the flowering and young fruit stages of mango, if long periods of low temperature and continuous rain occur, mango is extremely prone to flower and fruit drop. This is because when the temperature is too low, the plant's nutrient transport is slow or stops, while rainy weather causes soil compaction, resulting in poor soil permeability and reduced root respiration and absorption capacity. The flowers and fruits cannot obtain nutrients to continue growing and will drop. Moreover, rainy weather also affects insect activity, leading to poor pollination, which easily produces large numbers of deformed and aborted fruits that naturally drop in the later growth stage. This is a physiological phenomenon.
Control methods: Choose varieties with strong stress resistance and adaptability, which have a certain resistance to low-temperature and rainy climates. During low temperatures, methods such as fertilizing and plastic film mulching can be used to increase the temperature, and the tree trunk can also be whitewashed to withstand severe cold. During the rainy season, drainage and waterlogging prevention measures should be well implemented. If pollination is poor, artificial supplementary pollination can be carried out.
2. Pests and Diseases
The harm caused by pests and diseases is also one of the main causes of mango flower and fruit drop. The main diseases are anthracnose and powdery mildew. After the plant is infected, the flower spikes and young fruits will turn black, dry up, necrose and eventually drop, or the plant will turn brown and necrose, causing flower buds to drop. The pests include the flat-headed leafhopper and the striped tail noctuid, which suck the sap from flowers and leaves completely, causing young branches to dry up and drop.
Control methods: Do a good job in pest and disease control. Before flowering, manage fertilizer and water well, combine with chemical control, apply additional phosphorus and potassium fertilizer or organic fertilizer to the planting area to improve disease resistance, and spray insecticides and fungicides to control pests and diseases well. When disease occurs, spray chemicals to treat the disease and kill the pests.
3. Insufficient Nutrition
Mango consumes large amounts of nutrients during the bud differentiation, ear emergence, and flowering and fruiting stages. Especially during the flowering and fruiting stage, the nutrients at this time account for 40% of the total nutrients, so if the nutrient supply is insufficient at this time, flower and fruit drop will occur.
Control methods: Strengthen fertilizer and water management, apply sufficient base fertilizer. Apply 3000-4000 kg of fully decomposed organic fertilizer per mu, combined with 50-100 kg of compound fertilizer as base fertilizer. Apply topdressing in a timely manner. Topdressing should be carried out during the bud differentiation, ear emergence, and flowering and fruiting stages. During bud differentiation, mainly use nitrogen fertilizer. During the ear emergence stage, reasonably combine nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, appropriately reduce nitrogen fertilizer to prevent excessive vegetative growth. During the flowering and fruiting stage, increase the application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers to promote fruit growth and expansion, and also apply additional trace elements to ensure the fruit develops fully and well.
4. Lack of Water
During the flowering and fruiting stage, mango needs sufficient water. If the soil is too dry and lacks water, it will affect the plant's metabolism and nutrient transport, leading to flower bud drop. The fruits cannot obtain water during growth, their growth is inhibited, and severe water shortage will lead to fruit drop.
Control methods: During the flowering and fruiting stage, ensure a sufficient water supply. When the soil is found to be too dry, water it promptly to keep the soil moist. In addition, after watering, shallow cultivation can be done appropriately to prevent soil compaction, which would also affect the root system's absorption of nutrients and water.
The above are the causes of mango flower and fruit drop and control methods. We hope this helps you. To learn more about mango cultivation, please follow us.