Rethinking mango production systems, towards intensive high-density orchards

Abstract

Mango production systems and their management have remained relatively unchanged for decades, apart from incremental developments primarily associated with new genetic developments, nutritional practices and the mechanisation of pruning and harvesting. These advancements have not kept pace with the shifts in the agricultural farm business landscape of increasing competition, rising costs of essential inputs, including materials, labour, water, and land values. To ensure future sustainability and profitability, mango production systems must increase their productivity with reduced cost per unit output, be more resilient to climate variations, require less labour, be safer places to work, and be adaptable to emerging trends in technology, automation, and protected cropping. These changes will not all be possible within the confines of existing low-density orchard systems. It is imperative to reconsider and fundamentally transform mango production methods to guarantee future sustainability and profitability. In Australia, a team of researchers from the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, universities, and the mango industry, have begun to redesign mango production systems, drawing inspiration from developments that transformed production in temperate tree fruits. This program, now in its tenth year, has focused on enhancing mango orchard productivity through orchard intensification, and comprises a diverse portfolio of allied projects that have achieved remarkable progress in tropical mango production. This report presents some of the key findings, major insights and, and new approaches emerging from our research. © 2025 International Society for Horticultural Science. All rights reserved.