Changes in chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rate of four cultivars of mango during reproductive phase

Abstract

Total chlorophyll (Chl) content, leaf mass per area (LMA), and net photosynthetic rate (P(N)) were studied in four cultivars of mango (Mangifera indica L.) from September to May. Maximum Chl contents were found in September and December, the period considered to be crucial for flowering in mango. P(N) was maximum during October and maintained almost steady during the fruit growth period. However, LMA varied significantly in all cultivars. Mean Chl content, P(N), and LMA were lower in cv. Malaviyabhog than in other cultivars.