National tree crop intensification program (AS18000) – Mango

What's it all about?

This investment is part of a collaborative R&D program of tree crop-specific projects established to deliver step-change orchard system intensification knowledge, understanding and technical advancements to the mango industry.

The project is delivering new knowledge for mango growers that supports the need to change traditional growing systems to increase yields and orchard profits. The project will deliver:

• Improved understanding of factors underlying productivity, fruit quality and tree growth in intensive orchard systems.
• Industry awareness of fundamental relationships between key orchard components and their effect on productivity in intensive systems with trees aged six to 12 years.
• Industry awareness of new vigour controlling rootstocks.
• Understanding of canopy management and light relations that may be applicable in conventional orchards.
• Understanding of establishment costs and relative economic performance of intensive production systems.

The research involves:

• Identification of rootstocks for vigour management.
• Identification of canopy design factors for high-density mango orchards.
• Field trial of intensive production systems, researching interactions of planting density, variety, tree training and vigour control.
• Relative comparative performance of high-density orchard systems with conventional orchard systems at the 5 to 10 years of tree age.
• Understanding of tree architectural and productivity responses to novel training systems and canopy manipulation in mature high-density intensive mango orchard systems.
• Modelled economic performance of intensive production systems, compared, wherever possible, with current industry production systems and practices.

By the conclusion of the project, the project team will be able to provide the mango industry with recommendations on:

• Robust production systems, vigour control technique and technologies supporting intensification
• Canopy design in high-density systems
• Canopy manipulation in mature mango orchards.

Results will be disseminated at mango industry extension events (including industry field walks through intensive and netted orchards) and featured in industry publications such as the Mango Matters magazine and My Mango e-newsletter.