7 July 2020
Mangoes are the Northern Territory’s largest horticultural crop, and the NT mango industry is responsible for around half of Australia’s mango production. Production depends on flowering of mango trees, which is closely linked to yield and harvest timing. Mango flowering depends on particular climate cues which, in a changing climate, are likely to be affected.
Working with the NT Department of Primary Industry and Resources, Hub researchers carried out an impact assessment to determine when thresholds that trigger flowering would be crossed for three commercially important cultivars (Kensington Pride, Calypso® and Honey Gold) and three cultivars from the National Mango Breeding Program.
The assessment suggests that there will be a decline in conditions suitable for triggering flowering, but the decline will not be the same across the 12 growing regions considered in the study – regions closer to the coast (i.e. around Darwin) will be more vulnerable to change than those further south.
Some cultivars, including Kensington Pride and Calypso®, appear less vulnerable than others but this depends on where they are growing – and by the end of the century all cultivars could be vulnerable if greenhouse gas concentrations continue to rise.
With this information, mango growers – and the industry as a whole – can make more informed planning decisions about mango production in the Northern Territory, ensuring the ongoing sustainability of individual enterprises and the industry as a whole.
For more information, including the full assessment report and summary documents, see Understanding climate change impacts on mangoes in the Northern Territory.
Main image credit: Maddison Clonan