Assessing the impact of foliar brassinolide treatments on fruiting parameters of mango (Mangifera Indica) cv. Langra

Introduction

Mango is one of the widely cultivated fruit crops in tropical and subtropical regions with regard to flavor, taste, and nutritional profile (Jangir et al., 2017) [5] . The species name of this fruit crop is Mangifera indica L. This fruit crop is a member of the family Anacardiaceae. Mango is one of the widely grown fruit crops in the tropical and subtropical regions for its flavor, taste, and nutritional value. Among such varieties, 'Langra' is commercially valuable mainly because of its special characteristic aroma and flavor, along with excellent keeping quality. However, it suffers several challenges with regard to pre-harvest fruit drop, which naturally limits the acquisition of optimal fruit size and quality, and susceptibility to several pests and diseases according to (Gómez-Maldonado et al., 2020) [4] . These may raise yield and market value accordingly, hence making mango cultivation challenging for growers. But to counter such problems, research scientists and horticulturists have always looked for ways of enhancing mango production while at the same time increasing the fruit quality. A promising avenue applied in this area includes the use of plant growth regulators (Patel et al., 2021) [8] . PGRs are plant growth regulators, organic compounds which even in low concentrations highly affect physiological processes in plants; thus, there are growth, flowering, fruiting, and stress responses among the different PGRs. The most attention was recently gained by brassinosteroids, which can accelerate lots of crops' yield and quality (Sharma et al., 2021) [11] . BRs are natural plant steroidal hormones present in the environment that have enormous physiological roles like cell division and elongation, vascular development, photosynthesis, and biotic and abiotic stress response (Meena et al., 2018) [6] (Baghel et al., 2019) [2] .

International Journal of Advanced Biochemistry Research 2026; SP-10(4): 580-582

Exogenous BR treatment has been correlated with enhanced fruit setting, increased fruit size, and weight, increased fruit firmness, and delayed fruit senescence in mango (Attia & Shehata, 2023) [1] . The study is designed to determine the possible effect of a commercially available BR, brassinolide, when applied foliarly to the physical parameters of mango cv. Langra. It was attempted to determine the optimal concentration and timing of the application of brassinolide to enhance fruit yield and improvement in the physical attributes of mango fruits.

Materials and Methods

The present study entitled "Assessing the Impact of Foliar Brassinolide Treatments on Fruiting Parameters of Mango cv. Langra" was conducted during 2023-2024 at the Horticulture Garden, Department of Horticulture, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bhagalpur, Bihar. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with ten treatments, including a control, and three replications. Thirty uniformly aged and healthy mango (cv. Langra) trees were selected. Brassinolide was applied as a foliar spray at three concentrations (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 ppm) at different phenological stages: (i) marble stage, (ii) marble stage + 15 days after marble stage, and (iii) 15 days after marble stage. Fresh solutions were prepared on the day of application and sprayed during early morning hours.Fully ripe fruits were harvested and transported to the laboratory in muslin cloth bags. Fruits were sorted for uniformity, and damaged or diseased fruits were discarded. Selected fruits were destalked, washed, and used for further

Results and Discussion

The foliar application of brassinolide at different concentrations and phenological stages significantly influenced the physio-chemical characteristics, yield, and quality of mango (cv. Langra).

Brassinolide application markedly improved fruit weight, with the highest value (297.10 g) recorded in T6 (1.0 ppm at marble stage + 15 days after marble stage), which was significantly higher than the control (207.67 g). Treatments T3 and T5 also showed significant improvements. The increase in fruit weight may be attributed to the role of brassinosteroids in enhancing cell division and elongation, leading to larger fruit size (Sen et al., 2023;Sharma, 2021) [10, 11] . A similar trend was observed in fruit diameter and volume, where T6 recorded the maximum values (74.80 mm and 400.43 cm³, respectively), followed by T5 and T7. These findings are in agreement with previous reports (Meena, 2023; Patel et al., 2021) [6,8] , suggesting that brassinolide promotes cell expansion and fruit growth. The combined application at marble stage and 15 days later appears to provide a synergistic effect, resulting in superior fruit development.

Peel thickness decreased with brassinolide treatments, with the thinnest peel observed in T6 (2.48 mm) compared to the control (3.59 mm). Although thinner peel may reduce mechanical resistance, brassinolide-treated fruits maintained better overall quality, possibly due to improved physiological balance and delayed senescence.

In contrast, fruit firmness increased significantly in all treated plants, with the highest firmness (8.5 kg/cm²) recorded in T6. Enhanced firmness may be associated with modifications in cell wall structure and carbohydrate metabolism induced by brassinosteroids, contributing to improved shelf life and reduced post-harvest losses. Similar observations have been reported in mango and other fruit crops (Meena, 2023) [6] . Brassinolide application also significantly improved fruit set and retention. The highest fruit set (70.08%) and retention (85.23%) were observed in T6, whereas the control recorded the lowest values (61.04% and 74.81%, respectively). This improvement may be due to the role of brassinolide in enhancing hormonal balance, reducing fruit drop, and improving sink strength, thereby increasing fruit retention. Comparable synergistic effects of brassinosteroids have been reported by Attia and Shehata (2023) [1] . Consequently, yield per tree and number of fruits per tree were significantly higher in treated plants, with T6 recording the maximum yield (81 kg/tree) and fruit number (306.44), followed by T5. The increased yield can be attributed to improved fruit set, retention, and individual fruit size, indicating the overall positive impact of brassinolide on productivity.

The pulp:stone ratio, an important quality parameter, was highest in T6 (9.22) and lowest in the control (7.08). This suggests that brassinolide not only increases fruit size but also enhances the edible portion, thereby improving fruit quality and consumer preference.

Similarly, the percentage of marketable fruits was significantly higher in treated plants, with T6 (83.92%) and T5 (83.36%) outperforming the control (71.78%). The improvement in marketability may be due to reduced physiological disorders, better firmness, and enhanced overall fruit quality. Overall, the results clearly indicate that brassinolide application, particularly at 1.0 ppm applied at marble stage followed by a second application after 15 days (T6), exerts a synergistic effect on growth, yield, and quality parameters of mango cv. Langra. These findings corroborate earlier studies (Sharma, 2021; Meena, 2023; Attia & Shehata, 2023) [11,6,1] and highlight the importance of optimizing both concentration and timing of application for maximum benefit.

Conclusion

The current research assesses the impact of Brassinolide (BR) applied through foliar spray on fruit quality traits of Mango cv. Langra. BR application led to greater, heavier fruits with higher volume and retention, but thinner peel. These findings are consistent with earlier research indicating the growth-regulating effects of BR on mango and other fruits. The thinner peel, though favorable for consumers, enhanced fruit firmness and damage susceptibility. The largest fruit size, volume, and retention occurred with 1.0 ppm BR treatment at the marble stage as well as 15 days after. Yet a compromise between fruit size and other quality factors like firmness and retention was evident as the concentration of BR increased. BR application at marble stage plus 15 days after gave greater yields and fruit numbers per tree, suggesting that BR not only enhances fruit set but also increases the growth and development of the retained fruits. High levels of BR also improved the pulp-to-stone ratio and marketable fruit percentage, especially with 1.0 ppm at marble stage plus 15 days after. These results imply that BR application strategy optimization could improve yield as well as fruit quality. BR as a mango production management tool needs to be investigated further.

References

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