Mangoes

Find out information on current partnerships and research activities with the mango growers.

Australia has a reputation for producing safe and nutritious premium fresh produce, however consistently delivering high quality fruit and vegetables is an ongoing challenge. This has been amplified by recent supply chain disruption associated with the Covid-19 pandemic.

There is a need to support grower decision making through monitoring and evaluating cultivar postharvest performance. This will inform supply chain handling strategies for different modes of transport.

Assessing the potential of improved and sustainable cooling, storage and packaging technologies to enhance quality will also be critical to ensure viable export pathways remain for Australian producers.

This project is co-invested by industry bodies and will establish a central online information portal that provides industry-wide access to the decision aid tools.

More information

To find more information, visit the Horticulture website

Contact

Plant.Industries@nt.gov.au

The Australian mango industry was worth $217 million in 2022 with domestic production mainly located in northern Australia. Pests and diseases are major factors influencing mango production in Australia. These can affect tree vigour and survival, canopy and root growth, fruit set, yield, and pre- and post-harvest quality.

Mango cultivars can differ significantly in their responses towards major pests and diseases.  A well-researched study documenting these varietal differences is critical for potential industry interventions.

Using advanced molecular tools, including high-throughput sequencing and transcriptomics, this project will investigate the responses of different mango varieties to known pathogens and a pool of plant defence activators. Understanding how mango varieties respond to these biotic stimuli will provide information useful in developing appropriate industry strategies for combating mango diseases in the near future, as well as allowing growers to make informed decisions about which varieties to use in future plantings, particularly in disease-prone areas.

Specifically, this project will:

  1. determine the base expression levels of major defence-related gene families in commercial mango varieties (KP, R2E2 and Calypso and the three new NMBP varieties)
  2. compare this baseline data with data from plants exposed to biotic stress stimuli including pathogens and defence activators such as salicylic acid, phosphite, bion and jasmonic acid
  3. identify the mango varieties with robust immune responses to the tested biotic stimuli, as well as varieties that respond well to the defence activators.

Contact

Plant.Industries@nt.gov.au

In recent years, mango twig tip dieback has been a significant issue reported by mango growers in the Northern Territory. Typically starting out as a dark-coloured lesion on one side of mango twigs, leaves die as the disease extends along the twig, killing the whole branch and frequently causing the death of the tree. These symptoms appear different to what typical mango dieback symptoms (caused by pathogens from the Stem End Rot family). It has been named mango Twig Tip Dieback to distinguish it from the common dieback.

This project is being implemented to:

  1. set up a mango twig tip dieback working group for the industry and researchers to regularly share updates and jointly plan research priorities
  2. identify the scope of this issue through surveys and surveillance
  3. screen impacted plants to rule out known exotic pathogens and maintain market access
  4. identify the cause of mango twig tip dieback
  5. identify possible chemical controls for twig tip dieback
  6. identify potential pathways for externally funded research.

It is important to note that our researchers have undertaken a number of specific tests for exotic pathogens, and that no exotic pathogens have been found in the symptomatic samples.

More information

Contact

Plant.Industries@nt.gov.au

Northern Territory produces more than 50% of the national production. The value of the mango crop lies in both quantity and timing. Changing climate can impact production through effects on flowering, fruit retention and rate of fruit maturation. Current understanding is that flowering is promoted by low night temperatures and inhibited by high daytime temperatures, with increasing temperature variability predicted to adversely impact industry productivity, consistency, and profitability.

This doctoral research project is aimed to provide recommendations for mango harvest window manipulation and scheduling in the face of ambient temperature regimes, through management practices to manipulate the timing of flowering and improved accuracy in estimation of maturation time. This project builds on previous work to develop understanding of chilling temperatures requirements in mango flower induction and extends previous work on heat unit requirements for fruit development.

More information

Nespclimate website

Contact

Plant.Industries@nt.gov.au

Heavy fruit drop at different stages of fruit development causes great economic losses and is a major consideration in expansion plans of the industry in the Northern Territory and Western Australia. Understanding the control of fruit drop, including identifying potential innovative solutions to address this limitation has been identified as a key priority by the growers.

This project, aligned with a doctoral degree research, aims at understanding the phenomenon involved in mango fruit drop in different varieties grown under different ecological zones.

The project will investigate the control of fruit drop and support the new research to understand the pathway and hormonal mechanism that regulate the fruit drop in different mango varieties produced in different climatic conditions.

Contacts

Plant.Industries@nt.gov.au

Mango production in Katherine region has faced challenges in recent years, with decreased flowering and fruit yield in mature trees and no fruiting in younger plantings. Chemical solutions are limited due to organic farming practices.

Mechanical manipulation techniques such as root pruning and cincturing of trees have shown they can contribute positively to solving problems associated with low fruit baring in mangoes grown in hot and humid tropical environments.

Cincturing or girdling (strangulation of the trunk) of mango trees is a traditional cultural technique and highly effective in restricting growth and improving flowering in mangoes. Root pruning on the other hand is management practice intended to reduce excessive shoot growth resulting from a disturbed root/shoot-balance.

It appears to function by limiting the gibberellin activity in fruit trees by interfering with endogenous growth control. In this way, not only shoot growth but also fruit development and flower-bud formation can be influenced by one common mechanism. This project aims to assess the effectiveness of root pruning and cincturing/girdling in promoting mango production.

Contact

Plant.Industries@nt.gov.au

The overall objective of this project is to improve the productivity, profitability and sustainability of the Australian mango industry through improved capability, innovative culture, demand creation and more consistent quality.

During Strategic Investment Plan (22-26) renewal consultations, the Australian Mango Industry strongly valued their extension program (MG17000) and prioritised its continuation. The Australian Mango Industry has high aspirations for improved domestic and international demand and increased profitability, efficiency, and sustainability. These aspirations are founded on the generation and use of innovative R&D, the benefits of which are maximized through an innovative culture, fostering continuous improvement and proactive risk management. This project is aimed at enabling the extension support required for the Australian Mango Industry to achieve their aspirations.

Objectives

  1. Building industry capability to support cohesion and increase knowledge, attitudes, skills, and aspirations (KASA) to use the investment outputs across the supply and demand initiatives to better manage risk and create positive change.
  2. Improving industry productivity, profitability, and sustainability through the adoption of new technologies and best management practices in the priority areas of:
    1. maximising yield
    2. consistent quality
    3. demand creation.
  3. Providing opportunities for engagement between and across mango industry members and relevant stakeholders.

Funding body and partners

This project is funded by Hort Innovation, with the Australian Mango Industry Association as project lead, NT DAF and Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries are collaborators.

Further information

AMIA Best Practice Resources

Useful links

Contact

michael.finey@nt.gov.au

Past research

Australia has a reputation for producing safe and nutritious premium fresh produce, however consistently delivering high quality fruit and vegetables is an ongoing challenge. This has been amplified by recent supply chain disruption associated with the covid-19 pandemic. There is a need to support grower decision making through monitoring and evaluating cultivar postharvest performance. This will inform supply chain handling strategies for different modes of transport. Assessing the potential of improved and sustainable cooling, storage and packaging technologies to enhance quality will also be critical to ensure viable export pathways remain for Australian producers. This project is co-invested by industry bodies, and will establish a central online information portal that provide industry-wide access to the decision aid tools.

Funding body and partners

The Serviced Supply Chains II project (AM21000) is funded by the Hort Frontiers International Markets Fund, with co-investment from the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland (DAF), Northern Territory (DAF) and Pinata Farms Pty Ltd.

Objectives

  1. Develop predictive shelf life models for a range of fresh horticultural produce.
  2. Apply the models to develop decision aid tools and updated export handling guidelines.
  3. Establish an information portal that facilitates industry-wide access to the decision aid tools.

Further information

National Hort Innovation project webpage

Useful links

Contact

saeedeh.taghadomi-saberi@nt.gov.au

The Australian mango industry was worth $217 million in 2022 with domestic production mainly located in northern Australia. Pests and diseases are major factors influencing mango production in Australia. These can affect tree vigour and survival, canopy and root growth, fruit set, yield, and pre- and post-harvest quality. Mango cultivars can differ significantly in their responses towards major pests and diseases. A well-researched study documenting these varietal differences is critical for potential industry interventions. Using advanced molecular tools, including high-throughput sequencing and transcriptomics, this project will investigate the responses of different mango varieties to known pathogens and a pool of plant defence activators. Understanding how mango varieties respond to these biotic stimuli will provide information useful in developing appropriate industry strategies for combating mango diseases in the near future, as well as allowing growers to make informed decisions about which varieties to use in future plantings, particularly in disease-prone areas.

Objectives

  1. This project will determine the resting/base expression levels of major defence-related gene families in commercial mango varieties (KP, R2E2 and Calypso and the three new NMBP lines).
  2. It will compare this baseline data with data from plants exposed to biotic stress stimuli including pathogens and defence activators such as salicylic acid, phosphite, bion and jasmonic acid.
  3. The project will identify the mango varieties with robust immune responses to the tested biotic stimuli, as well as varieties that respond well to the defence activators..

Funding body and partners

This project is funded by the National Industry PhD Program, with the support and collaboration of the Queensland University of Technology.

Useful links

Contact

chelsea.moore@nt.gov.au

In recent years, mango twig tip dieback has been a significant issue reported by mango growers in the Northern Territory. Typically starting out as a dark-coloured lesion on one side of mango twigs, leaves die as the disease extends along the twig, killing the whole branch and frequently causing the death of the tree. These symptoms appear different to what typical mango dieback symptoms (caused by pathogens from the Stem End Rot family). It has been named mango Twig Tip Dieback to distinguish it from the common dieback.

This project is being implemented to:

  1. set up a mango twig tip dieback working group for the industry and researchers to regularly share updates and jointly plan research priorities
  2. identify the scope of this issue through surveys and surveillance
  3. screen impacted plants to rule out known exotic pathogens and maintain market access
  4. identify the cause of mango twig tip dieback
  5. identify possible chemical controls for twig tip dieback
  6. identify potential pathways for externally funded research.

It is important to note that our researchers have undertaken a number of specific tests for exotic pathogens, and that no exotic pathogens have been found in the symptomatic samples.

More information

Contact

Plant.Industries@nt.gov.au

Studies on the population ecology of mango leafhopper under various conditions and studies on non-chemical methods of control, including insect pathogens and attractants.

Resources

More information

Contact

brian.thistleton@nt.gov.au

This project looks at improving the performance of Australian mangoes exported to the United States (US), where they are positioned as a premium mango. With the long distance involved, there are risks of either delays or the fruit being subjected to incorrect temperatures in the supply chain which can impact on the premium quality necessary for this market.

The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, together with participating growers, exporters and Australian Mango Industry Association, are trialling available monitoring technology in an effort to improve the temperature and location monitoring of Australian mangoes being exported to the US.

Media

More information

Contacts

michael.daysh@nt.gov.au

An ongoing research project looking at various aspects of fruit fly mitigation from population ecology, suppression trials, cage trials and oviposition studies. The main aim is to investigate the host status of hard mature mangoes at commercial harvest.

More information

Resources

Presentations

Contact

Entomologist: brian.thistleton@nt.gov.au

VHT project: maddison.clonan@nt.gov.au

This project looks at management strategies to increase the quantity and quality of mango yields, whilst effectively mitigating loss of fertiliser applied nitrogen (N) to the environment. The research team will use stable isotopes to quantify plant N demand, soil supply and current practice N use efficiency (NUE) to develop best management practices for optimising N fertiliser use, including enhanced efficiency fertilisers. The project aims to maximise NUE in the Australian mango industry to increase productivity, profitability and good environmental management.

Investigating the possible contribution of nutrients towards the development of resin canal disorder by evaluating the composition or balance of nutrients in mango fruit.

Resources

Media

Presentations

More information

View links for growing advice and other information below:

Resources

Presentations

The following presentations were given at the 2019 AMIA  Mango Conference:

More information

Media

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