Growth, Development and Suitability for Kent of Mango Rootstocks on Soil Substrates Collected under <i>Anacardium occidentale</i> L., <i>Khaya senegalensis</i> (Desv.) A. Juss and <i>Mangifera indica</i> L., in Casamance, Senegal

Abstract

With an overall contribution of nearly 4 billion CFA francs to Senegal’s income, providing 23 , 000 employments more than 50% are women in 2021, the mango sector has shown its importance in the Senegalese economy even if the potential remains largely under-exploited. Thus, the study on the main local varieties remains an important perspective. This work carried out in the farm of the agroforestry department concerns the growth and development of four varieties (Pince, Kouloubadaseky, Sierra Leone and Diourou) on different soils ( Mangifera indica , Anacardium occidentale and Khaya senegalensis ). This work aims to contribute to the knowledge of the most cultivated varieties in Casamance. It is also a question of seeing the response of these varieties to grafting with the Kent variety. An experiment was conducted for one year with a split plot design consisting of 4 replicates (blocks). Each block contains 4 plots and each plot contains 3 sub-plots with 20 plants each. The parameters measured were: diameter at the collar, height, number of leaves, biomass, number of growth units and grafting success rate. The Sierra Leone variety showed the best growth results in terms of diameter at the crown (0.511 ± 0.090), leaf production (16 ± 2.52) and dry biomass (28.67 ± 16.80). The Kouloubadaseky variety had the best height record (41.90 ± 6.15) and the Diourou variety gave the best results in terms of fresh biomass (68.94 ± 30.90), number of growth units (9.350 ± 2.06) and grafting success rate (78.84% ± 29.44%). Anacardium occidentale soil substrate gave the best growth in height (39.73 ± 5.54 cm) while the substrate collected under M . indica L produced a greater number of leaves (13.14 ± 3.64) and grafting success rate (71.12% ± 37.25%). The Khaya senegalensis substrate recorded the highest values in biomass production (61.00 ± 35.93 for fresh biomass and 25.25% ± 15.74% for dry biomass).