Impact of fulvic acid and free amino acids on paclobutrazol absorption by ‘Keitt’ mango

Abstract This study evaluated the impact of fulvic acid and free amino acids on paclobutrazol soil residue, their absorption and effects on ‘Keitt’ mango grown in tropical semi-arid environmental conditions. The experiment was carried out from 2017 to 2018 simultaneously in two orchards with the same plants and management characteristics, located in Cabrobó, Pernambuco, Brazil. The experimental design was randomized blocks with four treatments, five replications and four plants per replication. The treatments consisted of paclobutrazol combinations with acid fulvic and free amino acids, as follows: Treatment 1: paclobutrazol + water (control); Treatment 2: paclobutrazol + fulvic acids; Treatment 3: paclobutrazol + free amino acids; and Treatment 4: paclobutrazol + fulvic acids + free amino acids. According to the results, the use of fulvic acids, free amino acids or both affects the paclobutrazol absorption by 'Keitt' mango. The addition of fulvic acid to the paclobutrazol improves the absorption of this molecule by the plant, with greater inhibition of vegetative growth of 'Keitt' mango and lower soil residues.