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Paclobutrazol (PBZ), a synthetic plant growth regulator, was applied to mango trees to control vegetative growth and induce flowering. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of PBZ and tip pruning on flowering, yield and fruit quality of mango trees, cultivar 'Palmer', in irrigated conditions in a semi-arid region of Brazil. Uniform trees were selected at a commercial farm located in Jaiba County, Minas Gerais, Brazil. A randomized complete block design experiment was used with two methods of pruning and five different dosages of PBZ (0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9 and 1.2 g (a.i.) ml(-1) PBZ), with four replicates and one plant per plot in a factorial combination. The PBZ was dissolved in 2 L of water and applied directly onto the soil. Vegetative growth parameters, reproductive characteristics, fruit quality and yield were evaluated. Differences among treatments were determined using analysis of variance at 5% of probability. Means separation among the treatments was performed using a Tukey's test, and regression models were developed. The dosage of 0.86 g (a.i.) ml(-1) promoted a significant reduction in branch length. The different dosages of PBZ in conjunction with tip pruning produced significant flowering. Applying PBZ at 0.3 g (a.i.) ml(-1) increased the yield per branch and fruit firmness and reduced fruit length, fruit weight, pH and soluble solids. The fruit yield was not affected by tip pruning or PBZ application.