Effect of Vivipary and Excessive Heat Unit Accumulation on JelIy Seed Disorder in Mango (Mangifera indica L.)

• Published in: Erwerbsobstbau Vol. 66; no. 1; pp. 155 - 162
• Main Authors: Ahmad, Israr, Sagar, Parul, Yadav, Ashish, Kant Kushwaha, Amar, Kumar Singh, Vinod, Kumar, Dinesh
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Nature B.V 01.02.2024
• Subjects: Accumulation; Antioxidants; Calcium compounds; Carotenoids; Climatic conditions; Crop production; Cultivars; Environmental factors; Fruits; Germination; Heat; Mangoes; Phenolic compounds; Phenols; Seed germination; Zinc compounds
• ISSN: 0014-0309; 1439-0302
• DOI: 10.1007/s10341-023-01016-1

Vivipary is an unusual reproductive process in which seed germination starts inside the fruit while it is still attached to the plant. Initiation of seed germination and heat unit accumulation or growing degree days (GDD) in mango fruit have been attributed as major causes for jelly seed formation, which is a significant constraint in the quality fruit production of mango. We studied the incidence of vivipary and heat unit accumulation or GDD in the fruits of medium and late maturing mango cv. ‘Dashehari’ and ‘Amrapali’, respectively, and their effects on the occurrence of jelly seed in mango. Jelly seed occurrence, heat unit accumulation or GDD, Total Soluble Solid (TSS), carotenoids, antioxidants, calcium, potassium, zinc, copper and phenolic compound contents in viviparous non-jelly pulp were investigated. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of occurrence of vivipary in mango cultivars ‘Dashehari’ and ‘Amrapali’ under subtropical climatic condition. Our findings show that excessive heat unit accumulation or GDD and vivipary/seed germination are not the cause/factors that induce jelly seed disorder. Vivipary and jelly seed formation are independent biological phenomenon. TSS, phenolic content, carotenoid content and antioxidants were significantly higher in viviparous fruit. Jelly seed incidence is higher in tree-ripe fruits than in non-tree-ripe fruits of early and late mango varieties, and it seems to be genetic and environmental factors and their interaction that govern the induction and level of incidence of jelly seed formation. A better understanding of the problem will help in the development of a package of practices for production of consistently superior quality mango fruits by reducing adverse effects of jelly seed malady.