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Studies on Growth Rhythm of Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.) Plants and its Influencing Factors.
Abstract:
Mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.) is well known for its slow growth, especially during its juvenile and early vegetative stages. Five sets of experiments were carried out to (1) characterize the dormancy and active growth stages; (2) identify the relation of phonologic pattern between shots and roots; (3) analyze physiological activities during active growth and dormant stages; (4) analyze endogenous and nutrient status during dormant and active growth stages; and (5) identify the effect of application of dormancy breaking substance on growth of young mangosteen plants.
The experiments were conducted in Taman Buah, Mekarsari, Cileungsi, Bogor and Cijeruk nursery, Bogor. Analyses of endogenous substances were done at the Center for Crop Improvement Studies, Faculty of Agriculture, Bogor Agricultural University and the Laboratorium of Pomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Kagawa University, Japan. All experiments were carried out from March 1999 to January 2002.
Results of the experiments indicated that flush period was shorter than dormant period; the older the plants the longer the dormant period. The longer dormancy period was indicated when mangosteen plants formed branches, followed by hardening of the branch skin, breaking the stem skin, and oozing the sap stern.
Two-year-old mangosteen plants produced five flushes of leaves; four-year old plants, four flushes of leaves; and eight-year-old plants, only two flushes of leaves. Two weeks prior to initial flush formation, there was rapid growth of roots. However, root development was less extensive as indicated by the high ratio of shoot/root and high ratio of leaf area/root length. The older the plants, the higher the shoot/root ratio and leaf area/root length.
Physiological activities, i.e., rate of photosynthesis, stomatal conductivity, transpiration rate, and water use efficiency during early leaf flushing were higher, while potential was lower than those during dormant period. Unbranching two-year-old plants showed higher rate of photosynthesis, stomatal conductivity, and transpiration rate than those of branching two-, four-, or eight-year-old plants. However, during dry season, water potential decreased as the plants grew older.
Endogenous substances, including gibberellin, cytokinin, reducing sugar (glucose and fructose), transport sugar (sucrose), and the status of plant nutrients during flushing were higher than those during dormant period. However, starch content was on the contrary. In two-year-old plants, gibberellin, cytokinin, sucrose, gluscose, fructose, and P.K. and Ca content were higher than those in four- or eightyear- old plants.
Sprinkler integration was found to be effective in hastening flush cycles in the young plants. Application of dormancy breaking substances along with watering shortened the flush cycles and improved shoot growth of the branching young mangosteen.