| The leaf
nutrient status of twelve ungrafted polyembryonic mango cultivars
(Bappakai, Chandrakaran, Kensington, Muvandan, Mylepelian, Nekkare, EC
95862, Olour, Kitchner, Kurukan, Vellaikulumban, and Starch), and that
of cv. 'Alphonso' grafted onto seven of the aforementioned cultivars,
was determined to generate preliminary information on the role of
rootstocks in mango nutrition. All seedlings and grafted plants were
thirteen years old, growing in a compact block with uniform cultural
practices. Differences among polyembryonic seedlings were highly
significant for N, P, K, Ca, and Mn, and significant for Mg, Cu, Zn, and
Fe. 'Alphonso' scion growing on the polyembryonic rootstocks revealed
highly significant differences for N, significant differences for Ca
and Fe, and non-significant differences for P, K, Mg, Mn, Cu, and Zn
contents in leaves. Vigorous rootstocks, viz., Muvandan, Bappakai, and
Olour, resulted in higher leaf nitrogen concentration of 'Alphonso'
scion while the least vigorous rootstock viz., Vellaikulamban, resulted
in the lowest values of N, P, and Fe. Although there was no clear-cut
relation evident between the leaf nutrient status of polyembryonic
rootstocks and 'Alphonso' grafted onto these rootstocks, the results
indicated that nutrient absorption and uptake and/or utilization by the
scion can be influenced by mango rootstocks, hence, their potential for
improving the efficiency of mineral nutrition. |
