Biostimulants on Fruit Yield and Quality of Mango cv. Kent Grown in Semiarid

Abstract

Mango ( Mangiferaindica L.) is the second most exported fruit of Brazil, which is especially grown in São Francisco Valley, a semi-arid region. One of the main cultivars exported is ‘Kent’ which has favorable physicalchemical characteristics, but irregular production and low fruit retention on the tree. Thus, the objective of the present study was to evaluate yield and postharvest quality of ‘Kent’ fruits as a function of foliar spray with biostimulants. The experiment followed a randomized complete block design with five treatments, four replications per treatment and four plants per replication evaluated in two consecutive years (2016 and 2017). The treatments consisted of foliar sprays with plant biostimulants, as follows: T1) Control (without biostimulants); T2) Biostimulant containing nutrients and L-α-amino acids; T3) Biostimulant containing nutrients and Lithothamniumalgae extract; T4) Biostimulant containing nutrients and sucrose; and T5) Biostimulant containing nutrients, free amino acids and Lithothamniumalgae extract. Biostimulants affected fruit yield and quality of ‘Kent’ fruits in distinct ways between seasons. The biostimulant T2 and T5, promoted the highest fruit yields, and maintained the postharvest quality of the fruits required by the European market.