Mango fruit quality improvements in response to water stress: implications for adaptation under environmental constraints

Mediterranean farming is facing increasing periods of water shortage and, in the coming decades, the water reduction is expected to exert the most adverse impact upon growth and productivity. This study was performed to assess the response of the physico-biochemical quality parameters of mango fruits to different doses of irrigation in a Mediterranean subtropical area in Spain. During two-monitoring seasons, trees were subjected to deficit-irrigation strategies receiving 33, 50, and 75% of a crop evapotranspiration (ETC), and a control at 100% ETC. According to the findings and respect to control, the yield was reduced in 8, 11, and 20% for the water-stressed trees at 75, 50, and 33% ETC, respectively, producing smaller fruits in line with the amount of applied irrigation. However, the water-stressed fruits significantly enhanced their quality, in particular at 33% ETC, with regards to the content of the health-promoting phytochemicals (total soluble solids, vitamin C, and beta-carotenoids). Thus, sustainable water management without a detrimental effect on the yield could be possible, and farmers should be encouraged to adapt to the environmental constraints, producing improved quality fruits.