Production and quality of ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango with the application of humic substance-based biostimulantsAbstract:
This study aimed to evaluate the effect of applying biostimulants based on stabilized humic substances and organic carbon during the fruiting phenological stage on the yield and fruit quality of ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango grown in the Brazilian semi-arid region. The experiments were carried out at Fazenda Surubim, located in Petrolina, Pernambuco, through two distinct trials conducted simultaneously, using fertigation for the application of two biostimulants. The experimental design was a randomized block in a 2 × 5 factorial scheme, consisting of two production cycles (2021 and 2022) and five doses of the products: Sagersolo® - BIOEST1 (0.0, 7.0, 14.0, 21.0, and 28.0 L ha-1), and Fulvumin® - BIOEST2 (0.0, 10.0, 20.0, 30.0, and 40.0 L ha-1), with four replications. Yield components and physicochemical quality attributes of the fruits were evaluated. Estimated doses ranging from 21.0 to 22.2 L ha-1 of BIOEST1 and from 28.5 to 33.7 L ha-1 of BIOEST2 resulted in increases of 10% and 7% in the number of fruits per plant, 5% and 8% in fruit weight, and 15% and 14% in yield, respectively. For both biostimulants, there was a reduction in titratable acidity and an increase in the soluble solids/titratable acidity ratio, showing linear responses as a function of the applied doses during the fruiting stage. The application of both products influenced the relationship between fruit weight and the number of fruits per plant harvested in both production cycles, as well as the physicochemical composition of ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango fruits grown in the Brazilian semi-arid region.
Index terms
Mangifera indica L.; fulvic acid; humic acid; mango production; titratable acidity
Resumo:
O presente estudo teve como objetivo determinar o efeito da aplicação de bio-estimulantes à base de substancias húmicas estabilizadas e de carbono orgânico, durante a fase fenológica de frutificação, sobre a produtividade e a qualidade dos frutos da mangueira ‘Tommy Atkins’, no Semiárido brasileiro. Os estudos foram realizados na Fazenda Surubim, localizado no município de Petrolina – PE, em dois experimentos distintos conduzidos simultaneamente, com as aplicações de dois bioestimulantes via fertirrigação. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos casualizados, em esquema fatorial (2 x5), com dois ciclos produtivos (2021 e 2022), e cinco doses dos produtos: Sagersolo® BIOEST1 (0,0; 7,0; 14,0; 21,0 e 28,0 L ha-1) e Fulvumin® BIOEST2 (0,0; 10,0; 20,0; 30,0 e 40,0 L ha-1), com quatro repetições. Foram avaliados componentes da produtividade e da qualidade físico¬-química dos frutos. As doses estimadas entre 21,0 e 22,2 L ha-1 do BIOEST1 e entre 28,5 e 33,7 L ha-1 do BIOEST2 proporcionaram, nesta ordem, incrementos de 10 e 7% no número de frutos por planta, de 5 e 8% na massa dos frutos e de 15 e 14% na produtividade. Para ambas as fontes, houve um decréscimo na acidez titulável e incremento na relação sólidos solúveis/acidez titulável dos frutos, registrando comportamentos lineares em função do aumento das doses aplicadas na fase fenológica de frutificação. A aplicação de ambos os produtos influenciou a relação entre a massa e o número de frutos por planta colhidos nos ciclos estudados e a composição físico-química dos frutos da mangueira ‘Tommy Atkins’, no Semiárido brasileiro.
Termos para indexação
Mangifera indica L.; ácido fúlvico; ácido húmico; produção de manga; acidez titulável
Introduction
The cultivation of mango (Mangifera indica L.) holds great economic importance for Brazilian agriculture. According to Lima (2024), based on data from IBGE presented in the Market Observatory, the mango-planted area in Brazil in 2023 was approximately 80.7 thousand hectares (ha), of which 62 thousand ha were concentrated in the Northeast region. Notably, the states of Bahia, with 33.4 thousand ha, and Pernambuco, with 18.2 thousand há both located in the São Francisco Valley stood out.
Among the mango cultivars grown and marketed in the São Francisco Valley, the ‘Tommy Atkins’ cultivar occupies a prominent position in both domestic and international markets (LIMA, 2024). This is due, among other factors, to its characteristics of high productivity; relatively lower perishability when harvested at early maturation stages compared to other export cultivars; high nutritional value; and consumer acceptance, resulting from its pleasant flavor, attractive color, and high soluble solids content (COSTA, 2016).
Mango productivity in semiarid regions, such as the São Francisco Valley, can be affected by variations in climatic conditions during the fruiting stage. These regions are characterized by high temperatures, intense solar radiation, and low air humidity (ALVARES et al., 2013). Exposure of mango plants to such adverse climatic conditions may influence productivity (SILVA et al.,2020), as well as the maximum fruit quality, which can be affected by changes in their physical and chemical attributes.
To mitigate the effects caused by adverse climatic conditions, thereby improving both yield and fruit quality, strategies such as the application of biostimulants based on humic substances (HSs) in fruit crops may be adopted (ANDREOTTI et al., 2022).
Stabilized HSs often consist of humic acids (HA), fulvic acids (FA), humin (HU), and total organic carbon, which are complex substances derived from the chemical and biochemical transformation of plant and animal matter (SHAH et al., 2018).
Several results obtained with the use of humic substances have shown positive effects, such as increased yield and reduced titratable acidity in pomegranate fruits, Kamal et al. (2017). Improvements in bud fertility of mango trees have also been reported with HA application (EL-HOSEINY et al., 2020). The use of HAs in crop production has been widely studied, and their effects are well elucidated Andreotti et al. (2022).
Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the effect of applying stabilized humic substances and organic carbon- based biostimulants during the phenological stage of fruiting on the yield and fruit quality of ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango in the Brazilian semiarid region.
Materials and methods
The experiments were conducted over two consecutive production cycles, in 2021 and 2022, using ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango trees in a 20-year-old orchard, spaced at 10 x 5 meters, totaling a density of 200 plants per hectare.
The orchard is located in the Sub-Middle São Francisco Valley, at Fazenda Surubim, within the Senador Nilo Coelho Irrigation District, in the municipality of Petrolina – PE, with geographical coordinates of 9°14’42’’ S latitude, 40°27’40’’ W longitude, and an altitude of 402 meters above sea level.
The climate of the region where the experiments were conducted is classified as Bsh, with an average annual temperature of 26.0 °C and an average annual rainfall of 480 mm (ALVARES et al., 2013). Meteorological data for the two production cycles of this study (2021 and 2022), recorded by an automatic weather station installed near the farm, are presented in figure 1.
Monthly average data of accumulated rainfall, relative air humidity (RH), and average air temperature recorded during the two crop cycles: 1° cycle – 2021(A); 2° cycle – 2022 (B), in Petrolina-PE.
In each production cycle, after the floral induction period, the fertility of the experimental area was characterized by collecting soil samples at depths of 0–20 and 20–40 cm. The samples were submitted to the Soil Laboratory of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA Semiárido) for chemical analyses, and the results are presented in Table 1.
The other management practices carried out during the experiment followed the same procedures adopted in the farm’s commercial production areas. These included post-harvest pruning, mineral fertilization, PBZ application, floral induction, and shading-control pruning, according to the recommendations of the mango production system under irrigated conditions in the Brazilian semiarid region (MOUCO, 2015).
The orchard was irrigated using a localized system with one micro-sprinkler of 100 L h-1 per plant. Irrigation management was based on climatic data obtained from a weather station installed near the experimental area. For the application of irrigation depths, daily reference evapotranspiration (ETo) was calculated using the Penman-Monteith method, parameterized by the FAO (ALLEN, 1998). Crop evapotranspiration (ETc) was obtained as the product of ETo and the crop coefficient (Kc).
The Kc value adopted for the study period was 1, as determined by Teixeira et al. (2008) for 18-year-old ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango trees.
The study was conducted through two distinct experiments carried out simultaneously, with the application of biostimulants during the fruiting stage. The experimental design was randomized blocks, arranged in a factorial scheme (2 x 5), consisting of two crop cycles (2021 and 2022) and five doses of the products: Sagersolo® BIOEST1 (0.0, 7.0, 14.0, 21.0, and 28.0 L ha-1) and Fulvumin® BIOEST2 (0.0, 10.0, 20.0, 30.0, and 40.0 L ha-1), with four replications (blocks).Each plot consisted of four plants, with the two central plants considered as the useful sampling units.
BIOEST1 had the following composition: 150 g L-1 of total humic acids, 75 g L-1 of fulvic acids, 10% polyflavonoids, 5% salicylic compounds, and 10% amino acids. Its mineral composition contained 120 g L-1 of K2O (potassium), 180 g L-1 of calcium (Ca), 90 g L-1 of sulfur (S), 15 g L-1 of boron (B), 1.5 g L-1 of molybdenum (Mo), and 30 g L-1 of zinc (Zn). BIOEST2, on the other hand, contained 180.2 g L-1 of total soluble carbon, derived from raw materials such as amino acids, lignosulfonate, leonardite, and peat, in addition to 36.7 g L-1 of water-soluble nitrogen, entirely in organic form. These specifications were provided on the product labels.
The product doses were applied via fertigation using a system assembled with PVC pipes (reservoirs), where the diluted solution entered the irrigation system by pressure difference (Oliveira et al., 2022).
Applications were split into four periods: 0, 15, 30, and 45 days after the last physiological fruit drop of ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango in both cycles.
Yield (t ha-1) for each harvest was determined based on the fruit count from the sample unit, quantifying the number of fruits per plant (NF). Average fruit weight (FW) was determined at harvest by dividing the total fruit mass by NF, and production per plant (P) was estimated by multiplying NF and FW.
Harvests in both cycles were carried out at fruit maturity stage E2 (initial maturation), adopted as the export standard (BRECHT; YAHIA, 2017), according to the peel and pulp coloration scale adapted for ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango by GTZ (1992). After harvest, four random fruits per useful plot were selected from the harvested volume for physicochemical analyses and taken to the postharvest laboratory of EMBRAPA Semiárido.
Fruit volume was determined using a digital caliper to measure longitudinal diameter (FLD, mm) and ventral diameter (FVD, mm), following Modesto et al. (2016). Fruits were analyzed for pulp firmness, soluble solids (SS, °Brix), titratable acidity (TA, % citric acid), and the SS/TA ratio. After peeling, pulp firmness was determined using a Stable Micro Systems Texture Analyzer (model TAXT2), with an 8 mm probe at two opposite points in the equatorial region of each fruit. Subsequently, fruits were processed, and pulp homogenized for SS and TA determinations.
Soluble solids (°Brix) were measured with a manual refractometer (Pocket Pal-1 model), and titratable acidity was determined by titrating 1 g of pulp with 0.1 N NaOH solution.
Results were expressed as g of citric acid per 100 g of pulp and then converted to % citric acid in the sample (IAL, 2008).
Data variance analyses were performed separately for each experiment, using the F test at p < 0.05. When significant effects for crop cycles were detected, means were compared using Tukey’s test at 5%. When significant for product doses, data were subjected to regression analysis. Statistical analyses were performed using the Sisvar software, version 5.6.
Results and discussion
The results of the analysis of variance showed isolated effects of the factors, indicating that BIOEST1 doses significantly influenced the number of fruits per plant (NF), average fruit weight (FW), longitudinal diameter (FLD), soluble solids (SS), titratable acidity (TA), and the SS/TA ratio of ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango. In addition, statistical differences between crop cycles were observed for all variables, except yield (Table 2).
An increase in the number of fruits per plant was observed with increasing BIOEST1 doses (Figure 2A). With the adjustment of a quadratic polynomial equation (R2 = 0.94), the highest estimated mean value was 349 fruits per plant, corresponding to a dose of 21.6 L ha-1. In a study conducted by El-Razek et al. (2012), when evaluating peach fruit production and quality based on four applications of HS applied every 15 days from the onset of fruiting, the authors reported a greater increase in the number of fruits per plant, ranging from 31 to 78%. Shah et al. (2018) mentioned that the cation exchange capacity (CEC) of an organic material increases with the degree of humification due to the formation of phenolic and carboxyl groups, which are derived from the oxidation of aromatic side chains or the hydrolysis of esters or lactones. Thus, it is suggested that BIOEST1 applications, by increasing HS content in the soil, may have improved nutrient uptake during the fruiting phenological stage, thereby impacting fruit set.
Analysis of variance for number of fruits per plant (NF), fruit weight (FW), productivity (P), fruit longitudinal diameter (FLD), fruit ventral diameter (FVD), pulp firmness (PF), soluble solids (SS), titratable acidity (TA), and the SS/TA ratio, of ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango trees subjected to doses of BIOSTE1. Petrolina – PE, 2021 and 2022.
Number of fruits per plant (A), fruit weight (B), productivity (C), and fruit longitudinal diameter (D) of ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango trees subjected to doses of ther BIOEST1. Equations followed by (**) are significant at p < 0.01 and (*) significant at p < 0.05 by the F-test.
For fruit weight, a positive effect of BIOEST1 doses was also observed, with adjustment to a quadratic polynomial model (R2= 0.95).
The highest estimated mean value was 528 g, obtained at a dose of 21 L ha-1 (Figure 2B).
This response in fruit weight may be associated with improvements in soil dynamics provided by the addition of 2.7 kg ha-1 of K2O, 4.0 kg ha-1 of Ca, 0.33 kg ha-1 of B, and 0.67 kg ha-1 of Zn contained in the estimated dose of the product, together with 3.1 kg ha-1 of fulvic acids and 1.6 kg ha-1 of humic acids.
The 5% increase in fruit weight observed in plants receiving BIOEST1 doses, compared to the control treatment, may be related to improvements in mango metabolic processes resulting from the addition of humic substances (HSs) to the soil. Shah et al.(2018) reported several studies addressing the role of HSs in mediating signal perception and transduction, activating specific metabolic pathways or cellular responses.
This effect mainly results from the positive regulation of genes involved in the Calvin cycle, including those encoding ribulose bisphosphate carboxylases (RUBPCs), glyceraldehyde- 3-phosphate dehydrogenases (G3PdHs), and glucose-1-phosphate adenylyltransferases (GPATs), promoting starch biosynthesis. The starch present in leaves is mobilized and converted into soluble sugars through enzymatic hydrolysis processes (OLIVEIRA et al., 2022).
Results reported by El-Hoseiny et al. (2020) also corroborate the observations of this study. The authors reported a consistent 5–12% increase in fruit weight of ‘Zebda’ mango in Egypt, following three applications of humic substances combined with potassium humate during flowering.
According to Yildirim et al. (2021), humic substances directly and indirectly affect plant growth, improve soil physical and chemical properties, and enhance vegetative production.
When analyzing the yield of ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango in response to BIOEST1 doses applied via fertigation, an increase was observed with higher doses (Figure 2C). By fitting a quadratic polynomial equation (R2 = 0.96), the highest yield was 36.6 t ha-1, obtained with a projected dose of 22.2 L ha-1.
Compared to the control treatment, this represented a 15% increase in maximum yield, indicating a possible higher efficiency in mango plant metabolism with BIOEST1 application. The observed yield values may be associated with increases in both the number of fruits per plant and the average fruit weight (Figures 2A and 2B), with their maximum points estimated at doses of 21.6 and 21.0 L ha-1, respectively.
The mechanisms of action of biostimulants are not yet fully elucidated. Some effects are recognized, although they vary according to the chemical nature and diversity of the product. For biostimulants with humic and fulvic acid-based compositions, known effects include stimulation of nutrient availability, activation of plasma membrane H+-ATPase, phenylpropanoid metabolism, induction of lateral roots, and nitrate assimilation (BARRETO et al., 2023).
A significant effect of BIOEST1 doses was also observed for the longitudinal diameter of ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango fruits. Fitting the data to a quadratic polynomial equation (R2 = 0.96) indicated a maximum estimated longitudinal diameter of 119 mm at a dose of 16.4 L ha-1 (Figure 2D). However, it should be noted that the longitudinal diameter of fruits from plants receiving doses from 7 to 21 L ha-1 showed minimal differences that did not affect quality standards. In addition, no differences were observed among treatments for fruit ventral diameter (Table 2).
The longitudinal fruit diameter is directly associated with elongation during the development phase (MODESTO et al., 2016).
Considering the phases in which the biostimulant was applied, the observed effects in this study are likely related to the humic substances present in the applied source.
According to Shah et al. (2018), when applied to soil, these substances can stimulate the metabolic pathway of certain amino acids, such as tryptophan. Tryptophan, in turn, is a precursor of auxins, including indole- 3-acetic acid (IAA), and acts in root elongation, vascular patterning, flower development, and fruit growth (CASANOVA-SÁEZ et al., 2021).
Regarding pulp soluble solids (SS), a linear increase was observed as a function of BIOEST1 doses, defined by an equation with R2 = 0.86 (Figure 3A). The highest SS content recorded was 7.3 °Brix, obtained with an estimated dose of 28.0 L ha-1. These results may be associated with improved plant growth due to humic acids exhibiting IAA-like activity (QUAGGIOTTI et al., 2004).
Moreover, increased nutrient availability associated with humic acid application (BARRETO et al., 2023) likely favored carbohydrate allocation to the fruits.
The linear reduction observed for titratable acidity (TA) may be related to the 10% amino acid content in BIOEST1. According to Sharma et al. (2005), amino acid degradation for sugar synthesis in citrus fruits can contribute to acidity reduction. The TA values, expressed as percent citric acid, are within the range reported by Vasconcelos et al.(2019) for ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango harvested between maturation stages 2 and 4 in the same region. In the cited study, the observed TA range was 0.50–0.85% citric acid.
Total soluble solids (A), titratable acidity (B), and the SS/TA ratio (C) of ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango trees subjected to doses of BIOEST1. Equations followed by (**) are significant at p < 0.01 by the F-test.
The SS/TA ratio, influenced by the magnitude of the numerator variable, increased linearly with higher BIOEST1 doses (Figure 3C).
Corresponding to the responses of the two variables defining the ratio, the highest value was observed at the maximum tested dose. This response indicates a predominance of sweetness in mangoes harvested from plants receiving BIOEST1 doses compared to the control, with differences increasing as the dose increased.
The higher SS content, leading to a higher SS/TA ratio and lower TA, signals a progression in fruit maturation defined by increasing BIOEST1 doses. The influence of HS use on levels of certain plant regulators explains this stimulation of maturation, recognized even at stage 2. Atero-Calvo et al.(2024) highlighted changes in endogenous plant regulator concentrations in tomato, showing higher levels of indole-3-acetic acid, jasmonic acid, and 1-aminocyclopropane- 1-carboxylic acid (ACC) in branches under some tested doses. Since ACC is the immediate precursor of ethylene, it is reasonable to infer that maturation is faster, albeit slightly, in fruits from plants treated with HS.
When evaluating the influence of production cycles on yield and the physicochemical attributes of ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango fruits (Table 3), it was observed that, regardless of BIOEST1 dose, the highest mean values for number of fruits per plant (351.15), longitudinal fruit diameter (120.30 mm), pulp firmness (66.75 N), SS content (7.22 °Brix), and TA (0.81 g citric acid 100 mL-1) were recorded in the second production cycle.
Regarding yield, no significant difference was observed between the production cycles, with values around 34 t ha-1. However, considering the higher fruit weight, which was 541 g in the first production cycle, it can be inferred that the lower number of fruits per plant under these conditions may have influenced this result. Similarly, this factor may also have affected the longitudinal fruit diameter, which was greater in the harvest of the second production cycle.
Simões et al. (2021), when evaluating yield and fruit quality parameters of the ‘Tommy Atkins’ cultivar under different irrigation arrangements, reported statistical differences between production cycles for the number of fruits per plant, fruit weight, TSS content, and titratable acidity.
Mean values for number of fruits per plant (NF), fruit weight (FW), fruit longitudinal diameter (FLD), fruit ventral diameter (FVD), pulp firmness (PF), soluble solids (SS), titratable acidity (TA), and the SS/TA ratio for ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango trees subjected to doses of BIOEST1, Petrolina – PE, 2021 and 2022.
Notably, variation in pulp firmness was also associated solely with seasonal effects (Table 3), as reported by Modesto (2013). Fruits produced in 2022 were characterized by approximately 10 N higher firmness compared to those from the previous production cycle.
This difference could represent an important advantage if maintained in mature fruits, potentially enhancing postharvest conservation.
For a detailed analysis of the overall responses and their impact on production and quality, it should be highlighted that the effects of humic substance-based biostimulants depend on the type of humic substances they contain, the dose applied, the method of application, the plant species, and the physiological stage at the time of application (ATERO-CALVO et al., 2024).
Regarding treatments with BIOEST2, analysis of variance indicated a significant effect of doses on the number of fruits per plant and on fruit weight, longitudinal diameter, TA, and SS/TA ratio (Table 4). Statistical differences between production cycles were also observed for the number of fruits per plant, fruit weight, longitudinal diameter, ventral diameter, TA, and SS/TA ratio. As in the BIOEST1 experiment, no significant interaction between doses and production cycles was detected.
Analysis of variance for number of fruits per plant (NF), fruit weight (FW), productivity (P), fruit longitudinal diameter (FLD), fruit ventral diameter (FVD), pulp firmness (PF), soluble solids (SS), titratable acidity (TA), and the SS/TA ratio, of ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango trees subjected to doses of BIOSTE2. Petrolina – PE, 2021 and 2022
BIOEST2 doses, which contain organic carbon and soluble and organic nitrogen in their chemical composition, promoted an increase in the number of fruits per plant (Figure 4A). Compared to the control treatment, a 7% increase was recorded, represented by the maximum estimated number of 342 fruits per plant, obtained with a dose of 28.5 L ha-1. This increase can be explained by the addition of 5.13 kg ha-1 of total organic carbon supplied with the 28 L ha-1 application.
The observed increase in fruit retention per plant may imply higher productivity; however, it should be noted that this variable is influenced by multiple factors (CUNHA et al., 2002), making the response estimation complex.
For fruit weight, the rate of increase resulting from higher doses was greater than that observed for the number of fruits per plant (Figure 4B). The estimated dose of 33.1 L ha-1 of BIOEST2 provided the highest mean value: 527 g. According to the Fresh Fruit and Vegetables (FFV) Standards/FFV-45, established by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), mangoes for export must weigh at least 100 g and are classified by weight into types A (100– 350 g), B (351–550 g), C (551–800 g), and D (>800 g) (UNECE, 2017).
Regarding the yield of ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango in response to BIOEST2 application, the behavior was similar to that observed for BIOEST1. The maximum yield of 35.9 t ha-1 was achieved with an estimated dose of 33.7 L ha-1. Across all BIOEST2 doses, values exceeded the control, suggesting that the application of this source can significantly contribute to increasing the yield of ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango. The observed increase in yield (Figure 4C) can be explained by the increase in the number of fruits per plant (Figure 4A) and the average fruit weight (Figure 4B), with maximum estimated yield values in response to doses ranging from 28.5 to 33.7 L ha-1. Compared to the control, a 16% increase in maximum yield was observed, indicating a possible higher efficiency in the metabolism of ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango plants with BIOEST2 application.
Number of fruits per plant (A), fruit weight (B), productivity (C), and fruit longitudinal diameter (D) of ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango trees subjected to doses of ther BIOEST2. Equations followed by (**) are significant at p < 0.01 and (*) significant at p < 0.05 by the F-test.
The observed responses in crop production may be related to different mechanisms, depending on factors such as the plant species and the chemical composition of the biostimulant.
Irani et al. (2021) highlighted the regulation of responses to water stress with the use of biostimulants, which may be involved in physiological and biochemical activities.
In a study conducted on grapevine, the authors reported that the application of biostimulants, especially those containing seaweed extracts rich in organic matter, stimulated the accumulation of abscisic acid, proline, phenolic compounds, and soluble carbohydrates, as well as induced antioxidant enzyme activity. Furthermore, levels of malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide, important stress markers, were reduced with biostimulant application. These responses may support the higher productive performance observed.
Regarding fruit physical characteristics, there was a significant effect of the applied doses on the longitudinal diameter of ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango fruits (Figure 4D).
The quadratic polynomial equation fitted to the data (R2 = 0.88) indicated an estimated maximum longitudinal fruit diameter of 115 mm with a dose of 27.4 L ha-1. Modesto et al. (2016), when evaluating the physicochemical characteristics of fruits from different mango cultivars, reported longitudinal diameter values ranging from 105.57 to 129.68 mm for ‘Tommy Atkins’. Therefore, the results observed in this study from 105 mm in the control to 115 mm as the estimated maximum fall within the expected range for the cultivar and corroborate information reported in the scientific literature.
The responses observed for BIOEST2 were similar to those reported in the experiment evaluating BIOEST1 doses (Figure 5A). The linear reduction in titratable acidity of fruit pulp ranged from 0.82 to 0.66% citric acid per g as doses increased from 0 to 40 L ha-1.
The opposite trend was observed for the SS/TA ratio, which increased linearly from 8.5 to 12.4 with increasing doses.
When evaluating the response of ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango productive performance variables across two cycles with BIOEST2 application (Table 5), it was observed that higher mean values occurred in the 2022 harvest, characterized by an average of 341 fruits per plant, longitudinal fruit diameter of 119 mm, pulp firmness of 67.75 N, and titratable acidity (TA) of 0.83% citric acid perg of pulp.
Titratable acidity (A), and the SS/TA ratio (B) of ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango trees subjected to doses of BIOEST2. Equations followed by (**) are significant at p < 0.01 by the F-test.
Mean values for number of fruits per plant (NF), fruit weight (FW), fruit longitudinal diameter (FLD), fruit ventral diameter (FVD), pulp firmness (PF), soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), and the SS/TA ratio for ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango trees subjected to doses of BIOEST2, Petrolina – PE, 2021 and 2022.
Although the number of fruits per plant was lower in the first production cycle, it was observed that, under these conditions, the highest mean fruit weight was recorded, which may have contributed to yield, resulting in no significant difference between the studied cycles, with 34.3 t ha-1 in 2021 and 33.9 t ha-1 in 2022.
In the second production cycle, fruits presented higher TA and pulp firmness. The greater number of fruits produced in this cycle may have influenced these results, since a higher number of sinks competes for synthesized photoassimilates, which can affect quality attributes, as noted by Simões et al. (2021) in a study evaluating different irrigation systems in ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango.
In summary, as observed for treatments with BIOEST1, variations in some physicochemical characteristics of the fruits across production cycles were not influenced by the BIOEST2 source. Regardless of biostimulant application, variation in these traits also results from cultivar seasonality, as reported by Modesto (2013).
Conclusion
BIOEST1 doses between 21.0 and 22.2 L ha-1, applied during the fruiting stage of the ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango variety, showed the highest productivity indices under Semiarid conditions.
For BIOEST2, doses of 28.5 and 33.7 L ha-1, applied during the fruiting phenological stage, promoted increases in both fruit number and weight, resulting in higher productivity of ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango under Brazilian semi-arid conditions.
The application of both biostimulants during the fruiting stage of ‘Tommy Atkins’ mango favored a reduction in titratable acidity and increased the ratio of soluble solids to titratable acidity in the fruits under Brazilian semi-arid conditions.
Data Availability:
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