EFFECT OF CONTAINER SIZE AND PRUNING ON GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF DWARFING MANGO ROOTSTOCKS.
Control of tree size is an important consideration in developing commercial mango orchards. The use of dwarfing rootstock is one of the methods available for controlling tree size. The development of techniques for increasing the effect of dwarfing rootstock is the objective of the present research. Container size treatments consisted of planting seedlings of different rootstock in containers of 1 to 8 L in size. Pruning treatments consisted of removing the shoot, root or shoot-root (combined) tips of young seedlings previous to planting. Most significant changes were produced by using the smallest containers and combined pruning. Most significant fresh and dry weight reductions were obtained in the smallest containers. Combined pruning produced a significant increase in fresh weight-of both roots and shoots but no significant changes in dry weight. Plant height was not significantly affected but bark thickness was significantly reduced by decreasing container size. Eldon a monoembryonic variety was significantly bigger than polyembryonic varieties.