Evaluación del raleo de frutos malformados e inducción floral sobre el rendimiento y la calidad en el cultivo de mango (Mangifera indica L.), variedad Irwin en la planicie de Maracaibo, estado Zulia, Venezuela Evaluation of thinning of malformed fruit and flower induction on performance and quality in mango (Mangifera indica L.) variety Irwin in the Maracaibo plains, Zulia state, Venezuela

Irwin mango variety gives high production under the Maracaibos plain agroclimatic conditions, but the fruits have some malformation attributed to a physiological factor not known, there so far there is no effective treatment to prevent it or treat it, limits the performance of the plant. In this sense, argue the use of management techniques agronomic in order to reduce the percentage of malformed fruits and produce quality fruit in optimal conditions. The study was conducted at the Socialist's Research Centre and Developing Fruit and Apiculture (CORPOZULIA) of Zulia state, located in the Northwest of the State of Zulia, characterized as very dry tropical forest. Trees were selected Irwin variety range of 11-year-old, planted in a framework 10 m x 10 m. The treatments applied were: fruits thinning + KNO3 8% (T1) non fruits thinning + KNO3 8% (T2) non floral induction + fruits thinning (T3) and no thinning fruits, no floral induction (T4). Variables evaluated were % of malformed fruits, number and weight of fruits per plant, average fruit weight, yield index and production efficiency and characteristics of physicochemical quality of the fruit. The results showed that fruit thinning reduced the number of malformed fruits in the variety of mango Irwin. Potassium nitrate increased fruit yield per plant and animal performance, but the highest values were achieved when combined with the thinning of fruit. The fruit thinning increased average fruit weight and percentage of fruit pulp and decreased the percentages of shell and seed. Thinning of fruits and Potassium nitrate did not greatly affect the chemical characteristics of the fruit, only degrees Brix, were affected. The results indicate that the practices of thinning of fruit and floral induction can improve performance and quality of fruit.