Effect of calcium, boron and sorbitol on fruit-set,
yield and quality in mango cv. Himsagar
H.D. Talang*, P. Dutta, C. Mukhim and S. Patil
Department of Fruits and Orchard Management
Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya
Mohanpur, West Bengal-741252, India
*E-mail: hammylliende@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
An investigation was carried out to study the effect of foliar spray of micronutrients, viz,
calcium and boron and sorbitol on fruit-set, yield and fruit quality in mango (Mangifera
indica L). cv. Himsagar, at Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Regional Research
Station, Gayeshpur. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD),
with three replications. Results revealed that boric acid (0.02%) + sorbitol (2.0%) were
the most effective for enhancing fruit-set (1.58%), yield (48.51 kg tree-1), fruit weight
(165.6 g), TSS (18.59°Brix), total sugars (14.92%) and ascorbic acid content (20.32 mg
100 g-1), while, calcium nitrate (Ca-0.06%) + boric acid (B-0.02%) proved to be the most
effective for increasing shelf life in mango cv. Himsagar, at ambient room temperature.
Key words: Mango, calcium nitrate, boric acid, sorbitol, fruit quality
INTRODUCTION
Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is the ‘national
fruit’ of India. India is the largest producer of mango
in the world, producing 184.31 lakh tonnes from an
area of 25.16 lakh ha with a productivity of 7.3 mt/ha,
and, shares about 45.1 % of the total mango production
in the world. In the mango, several problems are
associated with fruit-set, yield and quality due to an
imbalance in supply of nutrients resulting in poor plant
health, fruit quality and increase in fruit-drop. Further,
unhealthy plants are more prone to attack from insect-
pests and diseases. Attempts were made by several
researchers earlier to enhance productivity and quality
of mangoes through foliar application of nutrients.
Calcium spray is known to increase productivity of
mango, basically due to reduced abscission (Kumar et
al, 2006; Wahdan et al, 2011). Jutamanee et al (2002),
Singh and Maurya (2004) and Singh et al (2013)
showed enhanced mango productivity with boron
application. Boron treatment also resulted in improved
fruit quality in terms of weight, TSS, total sugars and
colour (Pandey and Singh, 2007; Dutta, 2004; Abd-
Allah, 2006). The effects seen may be attributed to
boron on enhanced pollen germination, pollen-tube
growth and sugar synthesis/accumulation. Therefore,
keeping in view the importance of nutrients on fruit-
set, yield and quality, this study was undertaken in
mango cv. Himsagar with the objective of finding the
most effective and optimum concentration of micro –
nutrients tested to improve fruit-set, yield and quality
of fruits.
The experiment was conducted at Regional
Research Station, Gayeshpur, Bidhan Chandra Krishi
Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, West Bengal, during 2011-
2013. Twelve-year-old trees of mango cv. Himsagar
of uniform vigour and size, planted at 10m X 10m
distance and maintained under uniform cultural
prac tice s, we re s ele c te d for the study. Se ven
treatments comprising calcium nitrate (0.06%), boric
acid (0.02%), sorbitol (2.0%) alone or in combination
(i.e., calcium nitrate @ 0.06% + boric acid @ 0.02%;
calcium nitrate @ 0.06% + sorbitol @ 2.0%; and, boric
acid @ 0.02% + sorbitol @ 2.0%) and Control (water
spray) were tested as foliar spray solutions by applying
at about 50% initiation of panicles in the tree.
Treatments were laid out in Randomized Block Design,
* ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region ,Umiam -793103,Meghalaya,India
J. Hortl. Sci.
Vol. 11(2): 166-169, 2017
167
with three replications. Data were recorded on per-
cent fruit-set, yield (kg tree-1), fruit weight (g), total
soluble solids in °Brix (with the help of a digital
refractrometer), acidity (calculated by titrating the fruit
pulp aliquot against 0.1N NaOH, as suggested in
A.O.A.C., 1984, ascorbic acid (by reduction of 2,6-
dichlorophenol indophenol dye) and total sugars
(Ranganna, 1986).
Results presented in Table 1 indicate that
application of micronutrients and sorbitol significantly
inc reased fruit-set. Highest fruit-set (1.90) was
recorded with boric acid (B-0.02%) + sorbitol (2%),
followed by boric acid (B-0.02%) (1.83); and, the
lowest (1.54) was observed in Control. Increase in
fruit-set with application of boron and carbohydrates
was also been observed by Stino et al (2011) and
Singh et al (2013). Table 1 also shows that plants
sprayed with boric acid (0.02%) + sorbitol (2.0%) gave
the highest yield (39.82 kg/tree), whereas Control
recorded the lowest yield (32.13 kg/tree). Similar
results were obtained by Negi et al (2010) and Singh
et al (2013). Boron improves pollen grain germination
and pollen-tube elongation, consequently leading to
higher fruit-set and, finally, the yield (Abd-Allah, 2006).
Further, it is evident from Table 1 that highest average
fruit-weight (234.33g) was recorded with calcium
nitrate (Ca-0.06%) + sorbitol (2%), which was at par
with boric acid (B-0.02%) + sorbitol (2%) (231.75g);
whereas, lowest average fruit weight (202.83g) was
recorded in Control.
It is seen in Table 2 that total soluble solids
content in the fruit was significantly affected by
various treatments with micronutrients and sorbitol.
Pooled data for the two years showed that maximum
TSS was recorded with boric acid (B-0.02%) +
sorbitol (2%) (19.15 °Brix),and, the minimum TSS
(1 6.50 °Br ix) wa s re c or de d in Con trol. Da t a
presented in Table 2 indicate that acidity was not
a f f e c te d s i gni f ic a n tl y b y a p pl ic a ti on o f
micronutrients or sorbitol. However, pooled data
shows that the highest acidity (0.22%) was recorded
in Control, and, the lowest (0.11%) with boric acid
(B-0.02%) + sorbitol (2%). These results are in
close conformity with finding of Sanna and Abd El-
Megeed (2005). Negi et al (2009) pointed out that
increase in TSS by boron could be due to a more
rapid translocation of sugars from the leaves to the
de ve lo pi ng f r ui ts . F ur t he r, ou r t re a tme nt s
significantly increased total sugars content in the
fruit (Table 2). Pooled data reveals that maximum
total sugars (15.30%) we re re corded in pla nts
treated with boric acid (B-0.02%) + sorbitol (2%),
which was significantly higher than total sugars
content in all the other treatments, including Control
(13.36%). These findings are in conformity with
findings of Banik et al (1997) and Negi et al (2009).
Increase in total sugar content may be due to a
bre akdown of c omple x polyme rs into s imple
substances by hydrolytic enzymes. Boron facilitates
sugar transport within a plant, and it is reported that
borate reacts with sugars to form a sugar-borate
c omplex that is more ea s ily ava ila ble to the
transverse membrane (Gauch and Duggar, 1954).
It is obvious from Table 2 that ascorbic acid
content of the fruits significantly increased with
application of micronutrients and sorbitol. Maximum
ascorbic acid content (28.39 mg/100g pulp) was
observed in fruits treated with calcium nitrate (Ca-
0.06%) + boric acid (B-0.02%) followed by calcium
nitrate (Ca-0.06%) + sorbitol (2%) (26.55 mg/100g
pulp), whereas, the lowest (23.09 mg/100g pulp) was
recorded in Control. Similar findings were reported
by Negi et al (2009) and Singh et al (2013). Higher
level of ascorbic acid with application of boron may
be due to higher sugar c ontent in the fruit as,
ascorbic acid is synthesized from sugars.
It is clear from Table 1 that shelf-life (number
of days, at ambient room temperature) of fruits
recorded highest (9 days) in calcium nitrate (Ca-
0.06%) + boric acid (B-0.02%), whereas, the lowest
wa s obse rved in Control which was, howe ver,
statistically at par with boric acid (B-0.02%) (5
da ys) . T he inc r ea s e in s he lf-life by ca lc ium
treatment may be due to the action of calcium in
imparting firmness to the fruit, and maintenance of
structure a nd function of the cell wa ll, thereby
leading to enhanced shelf-life (Ramkrishna
et al, 2001).
Thus, it may be concluded that in our studies,
boric acid (B-0.02%) + sorbitol (2%) is the most
effective treatment in improving fruit set, yield, fruit
weight, TSS and total sugars, while, calcium nitrate
(Ca-0.06%) + boric acid (B-0.02%) proved to be
the most effective for incre asing ascorbic acid
content and shelf-life in mango cv. Himsagar.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The first author is thankful to Department of
Science and Technology, Government of India, New
Delhi, for providing financial assistance.
Effect of calcium ,boron and sorbitol on mango crop
J. Hortl. Sci.
Vol. 11(2): 166-169, 2017
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Talang et al
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Vol. 11(2): 166-169, 2017
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(MS Received 19 February 2016, Revised 15 September 2016, Accepted 20 December 2016)
J. Hortl. Sci.
Vol. 11(2): 166-169, 2017
Effect of calcium, boron and sorbitol on mango crop