PHYSIOLOGICAL STUDIES ON MANGO TREES

Abstract

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is botanically belonging to Family Anacardiaceae .It is an evergreen fruit crop native to South Eastern Asia, where it has been cultivated there for about 6000 years ago (Albert, 1986). Mango trees are adapted to a warm tropical monsoon climate with a pronounced dry season followed by rains. Therefore, it cultivated in many countries of the world and nowadays becomes one of the most important fruit crop in India; Ceylon; Phillippines; South East Africa; Australia and Brazil.

It is so worthy to mention from the historical standpoint that mango was introduced to Egypt around 1825 and eversince its acreage has been gradually extended throughout the country in order to meet the steady increase in demand for its desirable fruits for either the local Egyptian market or export.

Mango occupies an important share in the total fruit production of Egypt, which amounted to (1038325 Feddans), whereas mango ranks the fourth (85972 Feddans) after Citrus (355518 Feddans); grapes (141233 Feddans) and olive (103933 Feddans); according to the Agricultural Census of the Ministry of Agriculture, 1999 year.· The total area of mango orchards representing about 8.28 %of the total area of fruit orchards with total production 287226 Tons and an average 4.47 Tons per Feddan.

Unfortunately, most mango orchards are characterized in many area by their relative/or severe lower yielding whiCh reflected negatively in mango growers income. Generally, several factors affect productivity of the existing bearing mango trees in Egypt. But, prominent ones among suet; factors are tliose related to the unbalanced nutritional status, behaviour and characteristics of