Tropical and subtropical fruits (2+1)

Flowering and Fruiting

• A Seedling tree comes to flowering at 8 – 10 years and grafted trees in 6-7 years.
• Flowers are borne in the axils of leaves on branchlets, flowering starts from March to April. The hermaphrodite flowers are light yellow in colour. Stigma receptivity is maximum one day after anthesis. Honey bees, house flies and wind are responsible for cross pollination.
• There is heavy drop of flowers and fruits (50-60%) within 3-4 weeks of flowering. A large number of fruits drop off at very young stage during 5-8 weeks after blooming. The flower and fruit drop can be reduced with the help of two sprays of GA3 @60 ppm ie., at full bloom and second spray at 15 days after initial setting of fruit.
• There are 3 phases of fruit growth and development i.e. I phase from 15 to 52 days after fruit set, having slow growth of fruit.
• The II phase from 52 to 58 days after fruit set having fast growth and the III phase and last phase from 58 to 60 days after fruit set, having slow growth.