Chapter-I

INTRODUCTION

In the tropics and subtropics, one of the most significant fruit trees is the mango
(Mangifera indica L.). It is often referred to as the “National Fruit of India” and the “King
of Fruits”. It belongs to the Anacardiaceous family. It is native to northeast India and north
Myanmar in the Himalayan foothills, where it is believed to have started. It is believed to
have originated in the Indo-Burma region. India is the world's largest producer and
exporter of mangoes.

According to the FAO (2021), mango is grown for commercial purposes in more
than 99 nations, including Australia, Pakistan, Indonesia, Bangladesh, India, Bangladesh,
Burma, Sri Lanka, China, Malaysia, Florida, Hawaii, Mexico, and Thailand. Its cultivation
in India has been documented since the beginning of time, more than 4000 years ago. It
was then a staple of culture and religion as well as being a useful and delicious fruit.
Mango trees normally survive for 100 years. Mango cultivars range in the thousands, with
more than 500 of them primarily native to Asia and India. The mango fruit is a large,
fleshy drupe with a variably thick edible monocarp. According to Anonymous (2020-
2021), around 34.90% of the world's total fruit cultivation land and production is located in
India. 22, 58,000 hectares are used for cultivation, and 2, 18, 22,000 MT are produced
overall Anonymous (2020-2021). Mango is grown in nearly every state in India, including
Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra,
Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.

The largest area of mango cultivation, 3, 63,000 hectares, is in Andhra Pradesh,

according to Horticulture Statistics at a Glance (2020-2021), whereas Uttar Pradesh has the
highest production and productivity. Mango is currently grown commercially outside of
India in a variety of nations, including the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar,
Malaysia, and Sri Lanka. The chemical composition of mangoes varies depending on the
variety and stage of maturity. It contains a lot of carbohydrates, vitamin A, and a
respectable amount of vitamin C. Additionally, they have a large amount of minerals,
especially potassium. The fruit of the ripe mango is regarded as energizing, cooling, and
 Introduction

fattening. Because of its delicious flavour, enticing flavour, and attractive colour, mango is
one of the most popular fruits in the world. It contributes significantly to the balance of a
person's diet by offering 64–66 calories per 100g of ripe fruit. Mango fruit has 73.0-86.7%
moisture, 11.6-24.3% carbohydrate, 0.3-1.0% protein, 0.1-0.8% fat, 0.3-0.7% mineral,
650-25900 g vitamin ‘A’ and 3-83mg vitamin 'C' per 100g fruit, and it also has 0.1-0.8%
fat. 9.50% protein, 8-12% fat, 792.0% starch, 2% mineral content, and 2% fibres are also
present in seed kernels. The mango fruit has 0.01% calcium, 0.02% phosphorus, 4.5 mg of
iron per 100 g, and 3 mg of ascorbic acid per 100 g. In India, every component of this plant
has a variety of purposes.

Ripe mango fruit is also used to make canned mango slices, squash, nectar, jam,
cereal flakes, beverage, custard powder, baby food, leather, and toffee in addition to
desserts. Unripe fruits are utilised in pickles, chutneys, powder, flakes, and other culinary
preparations. When mango fruit matures and ripens, the starch content varies between 6.6
and 19.0 per cent, this starch is then hydrolysed to produce reducing and non-reducing
sugar. The acidity, on the other hand, lies between 0.5 and 0.7%. Ripe fruits range in
ascorbic acid content from 22 to 28 mg per 100g of pulp.

The pulp of ripe fruits contains a respectable amount of vitamin A (4800 I.U. /100
g), vitamin B, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium, in addition to a high sugar-to-acid ratio
(60–200 depending on the variety). However, the fruits are lacking in both protein and fat.
Amrapali, Langra, Chausa, Dashehari, and other varieties. Mango is one of the greatest
exporting products, and it is shipped to countries like the United Kingdom, United States,
France, Kuwait, Bahrain, Afghanistan, Malaysia, Qatar, and Singapore among others in
both fresh and processed form. Mangoes are highly regarded by Unani doctors due to their
numerous therapeutic benefits. They are also used to treat anaemia and to strengthen the
blood and neurological systems. Dried mango flowers are used in Ayurveda to treat
diarrhoea, dysentery, and urinary tract inflammation. As a deep-rooted tree, the mango
requires a soil profile that is at least 2 metres deep.

Mango grows equally well in lateritic and alluvial soils, however deep black cotton
soils in India are typically thought to be unsuited for mango production. Mango cultivation
requires a pH between 5.5 and 7.5 and a water table depth of less than 180 cm. The mango

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 Introduction

is a tropical fruit, but it also thrives in semi-tropical climates. Mangoes grow best in
temperatures between 23.9 and 26.70C. Mangoes grow equally well in India. both under
low and high yearly precipitation of 25 to 250 cm. 4.1 Introduction In numerous tropical,
sub-tropical, and temperate fruit crops, the foliar application of plant bio-regulators and
micronutrients has been shown to be extremely important for enhancing growth and
development, fruit set, control of fruit drops, fruit maturation, fruit quality, and cover
coming of physiological and nutritional disorders.

The idea behind the foliar treatment is that nutrients are swiftly absorbed by leaves
and delivered to various sections of the plant to satisfy the functional need for
nourishment. Foliar application of nutrients is undoubtedly the best method for getting
around the issue of nutrient scarcity. The treatment of trace element deficiency, the
restoration of a disrupted nutrient supply, and the removal of stress factors that limit their
availability can all be accomplished with great success with this method. Numerous fruit
crops, including citrus, pineapple, guava, and others, have been marketed using this
technique. Micronutrients and plant bio-regulators including GA3, NAA, and borax are
essential for improving fruit output and quality, as well as setting fruit. With enhanced
mango fruit weight, volume, and length, gibberellin has a significant role in stem
elongation, leaf expansion, blooming, and the highest fruit percentage per panicle.
Naphthalene acetic acid contributes significantly to reduced flower drop, prevention of bud
shedding, high flower retention and immature fruits, enlargement of fruit size, as well as
increased fruit yield and quality.

Fruits and vegetables depend on zinc for proper growth and development. It is one
of the components necessary for the synthesis of chlorophyll and is therefore beneficial for
photosynthetic activity. Additionally, certain enzymes, indole acetic acid, and the
production of proteins all contain. Boron is crucial for the healthy development of the
ovule, the formation of the pollen tube, and an increase in the quantity of fruit set. The
intensity of fruit-dropping damage can be reduced by foliar spraying with plant growth
regulators and micronutrients, which will assist to increase the quality and yield of the
mango tree. Foliar application of micronutrients is thought to be advantageous in
promoting plant development and productivity. Keeping in view the above facts, the
present investigation entitled “Effect of plant bio- regulators and micro–nutrients on

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 Introduction

growth, yield and quality of mango (Mangifera indica L.) cv. Amrapali” has been
carried out with the following objectives:

1. To study the best plant bio-regulators and micronutrients for getting better growth.
2. To study the best plant-regulators and micronutrients for achieving good-quality
fruits.
3. To study the best plant-bio-regulators and micronutrients for achieving higher
yields.