Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
on the same tree, consequently multiple harvests of varying quality may
ensue affecting markets. During February 2013, the T
max
was 28.7 °C and
the T
Tmin
was 17.4 °C with the RH of 73%. The data recorded for two fort-
nights revealed that there was only very little difference in T
max
and T
Tmin
.
However, large variations in the T
Tmin
emerged during February 2013. On
some days, the T
Tmin
was 21 °C and after a gap of 6 to 7 days, the T
Tmin
fell
to 14 °C. Such variations in T
Tmin
could greatly affect the pollinator dynam-
ics and their activity as was discernible during 2013 fruiting season at
Lucknow and adjoining regions. This kind of T
Tmin
dynamics also probably
triggered a second flush of flowering during 2013 at Bangalore region, in-
fusing disturbed source-sink relationships as fruits of different growth and
developmental stages became mutually competitive that could probably
impactboth quantity as well as quality of harvests. February 2013, howev-
er, witnessed T
Tmin
fluctuating between 13 and 15 °C without much change.
Under the Konkan conditions of Maharashtra, new vegetative flushes
emerged in the second week of November (2011-2012). The first flower-
ing flush to the tune of about 5% occurred in the third week of December
even though there were extended rains up to 29th November, 2011 in con-
tinuation to normal rainfall in the monsoon. The second flowering flush
was noticed during January second week, which was to the tune of about
30%. The total flowering up to March, 2012 in '
Alphonso
' was about 48%
and in other varieties it was about 25%. The late showers received up
to November end affected the fruit set of the first flowering flush as the
flowering got delayed despite hermaphrodite flower percentage in the first
flowering flush being normal up to 9.8%; the panicles emerging during
second flowering flush were predominantly of mixed panicles having ex-
tra length (size-41 cm length) that contributed to low fruit set as was seen
at Vengurle, Mulde, Deogad and Lanja in about 10.4% plants in both cases
there was failure to set any fruits.
Since 2009, unpredictable weather conditions have been occurring in
the premier mango growing belts of the country every year, like incidence
of unseasonal rains (up to Dec. 23; March-May); cloudy weather, severe
cold (8 to 12 °C), and extremes of T
Tmin
continuously for 60 to 70 days, (in-
stead of 4 to 5 spells of 12 to 15 days cold period) and T
max
prevailing dur-
ing fruit growth, development and maturity. These aspects have come to
sharp focus from 2009 onwards especially the Konkan region. The normal
rainfall period of this region is June to September with 1 to 2 dry spells
of 8 to 10 days period, with mean annual rainfall of 3000 mm received
