Journal of Experimental Agriculture International 25(3): 1-12, 2018; Article no.JEAI.43153 ISSN: 2457-0591 (Past name: American Journal of Experimental Agriculture, Past ISSN: 2231-0606) Correlation between Inflorescence Phenological Events of Mango (Mangifera indica cv. Kent) and Some Climatic Parameters in Côte d'Ivoire Kouakou Kouassi Léopold1*, Kone Tchoa1, N'da Adopo Achille2 and Kouakou Tanoh Hilaire1 1Laboratoire de Biologie et Amélioration des Productions Végétales, UFR Sciences de la Nature, Université Nangui Abrogoua, 02 BP 801 Abidjan 02, Côte d’Ivoire. 2Centre National de Recherche Agronomique, Station de Lataha (Korhogo), 01 BP 1740 Abidjan Côte d’Ivoire. Authors’ contributions This work was carried out in collaboration between all authors. Author KKL designed the study, performed the statistical analysis, wrote the protocol and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. Authors NAA and KTH managed the analyses of the study. Author KT managed the literature searches. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Article Information DOI: 10.9734/JEAI/2018/43153 Editor(s): (1) Lanzhuang Chen, Professor, Laboratory of Plant Biotechnology, Faculty of Environment and Horticulture, Minami Kyushu University, Miyazaki, Japan. Reviewers: (1) Kabi Pokhrel, Tribhuvan University, Nepal. (2) Raúl Leonel Grijalva-Contreras, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales Agrícolas y Pecuarias, Mexico. Complete Peer review History: http://www.sciencedomain.org/review-history/25866 Received 19th May 2018 th Original Research Article Accepted 24 July 2018 Published 13th August 2018 ABSTRACT Aims: It was aimed to investigate the relationship between two climatic parameters, temperature and relative humidity, and the flower-cutting interval of mangoes tree cv. Kent Study Design: The experimental design used was the completely randomized design with triplicate. Place and Duration of Study: The present research was developed in the Laboratoire de Biologie et Amélioration des Productions Végétales, UFR Sciences de la Nature, Université Nangui Abrogoua, Côte d’Ivoire and in the Centre National de recherche Agronomique, Station de recherche de Lataha (Lavononkaha), Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire, between December 2015 to January 2018. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ *Corresponding author: E-mail: [email protected]; Kouakou et al.; JEAI, 25(3): 1-12, 2018; Article no.JEAI.43153 Methodology: One hundred (100) mango trees were chosen to constitute four blocks of mango trees cv Kent. Every three days, the phenological events were notified. Regular observations were performed to determine the time between the phenological events of the inflorescence. Thus, the inflorescence appearance and the first flower opening, the time between the first flower opening and the first fructification, in relation with temperature and relative humidity were determined. Results: It was not observed a negative correlation between temperature, time of inflorescence appearance and the first flower opening. Moreover, the relative humidity revealed a positive correlation with this time. In addition, the time elapsing between the first flower opening and the first fruiting is negatively correlated with temperature but positively with relative humidity. Conclusion: Negative correlation between the time elapsing from the inflorescence appearance and the first flower opening as well as the temperature. Furthermore, a positive correlation between was revealed between the inflorescence appearance and the first flower opening as well as the relative humidity. Similarly, for the elapses delay between the first flower opening and the temperature. In addition, correlation observed between fruiting time and relative humidity was positive. Keywords: Temperature; relative humidity; inflorescence; flower opening; fruiting; mango tree cv Kent. 1. INTRODUCTION African exporter of mangoes, the country's third- largest export, after pineapple and banana, with The geographical distribution of plant species, which it contributes 4% of its GDP. With a vegetation types and agricultural cropping production of 100,000 tons this year, of which patterns shows a strong influence of climate on more than 32,600 tons are exported to Europe, plant growth. Temperature, precipitation the country has risen to the rank of third supplier (humidity) and seasonal patterns are key of mangoes on the European market, after Brazil determinants of plant development, from (100,000 t) and Peru (80 000 t) [7]. During the flowering to fruiting, through a variety of 2016-2017 export season, mango yielded 6.5 mechanisms [1]. In mango tree, seasonal cyclical billion CFA francs (nearly 10 million Euros) to changes in root, flower, fruit and their Ivorian producers [8]. The Ivoirian orchard is development depend on cultivars and climatic concentrated in the northern zone of the country conditions. Varietal responses to the [9]. Nearly 90% of the national production is environment within and between mango cultivars provided by small planters, the balance from explain their production performance [2]. A large operators. The first category is temperature regime of 25˚C during the day and characterized by a set of factors such as areas of 15˚C during the night as prevails during this production ranging from plantations villages (less period was found to be the optimum for flower than 1-2 hectare) to controlled orchards induction [3]. The flowering intensity of mangoes (between 1 and 50 hectares), yields of less than was found to negatively correlate with relative 20 tons, more or less partial control of irrigation water content [4]. The knowledge of the and phytosanitary treatments. Large farms in turn phenology of other mango cultivars can be used exceed 50 hectares, are fully irrigated and for genetic breeding or even for cultivation in new treated, and yields can easily be exceed 20 tons planting areas and on the range of processes per hectare, or even reach 30 tons. linked to agronomic management of the supply chain, it is important to know the periodic Mango cv Kent originates from Florida and was biological events involving the development of introduced into Africa via the Foulaya this species. experimental station in Guinea around 1950. The fruits reach maturity in the middle of the season Mango production accounts for approximately [10]. The flesh is firm and has a pleasant taste. 36% of the worldwide production of tropical fruit This mango matures very slowly and gradually. [5]. Mango occupies a choice place in the Fruits that are harvested close to maturity can be economy of the populations living in the North of stored for a long time at cool temperatures. The Côte d'Ivoire. This fruit, whose consumption was fruit's excellent sensory qualities, the firmness of once mostly local, has been a significant source its flesh and its gradual ripening are all equally of foreign exchange since it was massively attractive features to retailers. Although it is exported [6]. Côte d'Ivoire is now the leading difficult to grow, this mango is the standard in 2 Kouakou et al.; JEAI, 25(3): 1-12, 2018; Article no.JEAI.43153 terms of quality on export markets. It depends decade, it has been supplanting the other heavily on the nature of the soil, the climate and cultivars as West Africa's main export cultivar [7]. especially the inflorescence phenological events Some fruit characteristics are strongly influenced [11]. The Kent variety constitutes 60 to 70% of by soil types. The fruits are early, firm and Ivorian mango exports [12]. Every year, the key colorful on the lateritic hillsides, whereas they actors in mango industry, namely producers and can be dark green, late and physiologically exporters, invest heavily in order to better disturbed on clay and wet bottom soils [13-14]. organize harvest and export campaign, through Kent produced between April 10 and May 20 in which there is the control of the flower-cutting Ivory Coast. Mango cv Kent is characterized by a interval. relatively low water content of the pulp. The ripening of the fruit is very gradual. The soluble The knowledge of the phenological events of solids content of ready-to-eat Kent mangoes is mango tree and climate parameters can be used high and can reach 22° Brix in some fruits, while on the range of processes linked to the the acidity, lower at harvest than in other agronomic management of the supply chain, it is varieties, is higher after ripening [15]. The size of important to know the periodic biological events the Kent fruit, which is essentially the size of 7 to involving the flowering development and fruiting. 10 (number of fruits per 4 kg carton), is very Considering that, the mango can get a place in much in line with the demand of the European the Ivorian agricultural development and be an market. The ripe fruits are then red and yellow or effective tool in the fight against poverty, red, green and yellow. They are much more assessment of inflorescence phenological events attractive when they are ripe than at their harvest in relation with climate are essential for stage. Mango cv. Kent therefore has many mastering the flower-cut interval displaying commercial qualities, which explains its success option for good programming of crops to export. with European importers: Good transport Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the correlation performance, high shelf life of ripe fruit kept cold, between the inflorescence phenological events of soluble solids content, good coloring of fruits mango cv Kent and some climatic parameters in produced in adequate [16]. orchards in northern Côte d'Ivoire. This in order to help control the first section of the flower-cut interval which is the flower-set interval. 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS 2.1 Site of Study The study was conducted from December 2015 to January 2018 in Lavononkaha (Korhogo), located in the North of Côte d'Ivoire located between 5°15 W and 6°20 N longitudes, and 8°30 and 10°25 N latitudes. The dry season is accompanied by the harmattan between the months of December and February as well as peaks of heat between March and April. The Fig.