Identification of molecular markers linked with differential flowering behaviour of mangoes in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Abstract

Genetic differences within and between geographic poulationsof an ecosystem are likely to be defined by the population -fluxing pattern as influenced by various ecological factors in the immediatepast and historical pressureon the genome.The Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal comprise over 572 islands and rocks.Due to the long history of cultivation in these islands, many cultivars of mango from both northern and southern India are known to exist.the varieties from Northern India failed to flower in the absence of low temperature and low humidity. However, the varieties from southern India established due to their conincidence of the climate requirement. Open pollination of these varieties resulted in many clones with differential flowering pattern due to the introgession of genes during hybridization.Most of these clones exhibited an erratic habit of bearing round the year. Flower bud differentiation takes place during May-June, August-September and November-December. Some clones exhibited multiple flowering while others though morphologically similar to the multiflowering clones, flowered only once.