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Ethylene and the Induction of Flowering by Potassium Nitrate in Mango(Mangifera indics L.)
Thesis Abstract:
Under normal enviromental conditions, leaves and apices of 'Carabao' mango shoots produced small quantities of ethylene. Higher rates of ethylene production were found in the apical leaves than in the middle and basal leaves of the shoot.
Follar application of potassium nitrate did not increase ethylene production in the middle leaves of the shoot. In contrast, one to three days after potassium nitrate treatment, there was a detectable rise in ethylene in the shoot apex, which persisted even when floral development became visible.
The flowering response of mango to induction by potassium nitrate wa distinctly localized; and only treated shoots flowered while untreated ones did not. The inductive action of the chemical was rapid, with the first visual signs of floral development appearing 6 to 8 days after treatment. Shoots with non-existent or underdeveloped apical buds were less responsive to floral induction.
The presence of leaves was necessary for successful floral induction of potassium nitrate, although treating as few as three leaves per shoot was sufficient. The position of leaves in the shoot was laso found to be related to induction effect; that is, leaves were not. Evidence suggets that a floral stimulus a produced in the leaves which act as receptive sites of the action of potassium nitrate in floral induction.
It is unlikely that potassium nitrate action is directly mediated by increased ehtylene production in the leaves. Gidling experiments indicated that the floral stimulus must be transported from the leaves to the shoot apex to initiate floral development.