V-Mango: A functional-structural model of mango tree growth, development and fruit production

Background and Aims: Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is the fifth most widely produced fruit in the world. Its cultivation, mainly in tropical and sub-tropical regions, raises a number of issues such as the irregular fruit production across years, phenological asynchronisms that lead to long periods of pest and disease susceptibility, and the heterogeneity of fruit quality and maturity at harvest. To address these issues, we developed an integrative functional–structural plant model that synthesizes knowledge about the vegetative and reproductive development of the mango tree and opens up the possible simulation of cultivation practices. Methods: We designed a model of architectural development in order to precisely characterize the intricate developmental processes of the mango tree. The appearance of botanical entities was decomposed into elementary stochastic events describing occurrence, intensity and timing of development. These events were determined by structural (position and fate of botanical entities) and temporal (appearance dates) factors. Daily growth and development of growth units and inflorescences were modelled using empirical distributions and thermal time. Fruit growth was determined using an ecophysiological model that simulated carbon- and water-related processes at the fruiting branch scale. Key Results: The model simulates the dynamics of the population of growth units, inflorescences and fruits at the tree scale during a growing cycle. Modelling the effects of structural and temporal factors makes it possible to simulate satisfactorily the complex interplays between vegetative and reproductive development. The model allowed the characterization of the susceptibility of mango tree to pests and the investigatation of the influence of tree architecture on fruit growth. Conclusions: This integrative functional–structural model simulates mango tree vegetative and reproductive development over successive growing cycles, allowing a precise characterization of tree phenology and fruit growth and production. The next step is to integrate the effects of cultivation practices, such as pruning, into the model

Exploring the role of smartphone technology for citizen science in agriculture

Citizen science is the involvement of citizens, such as farmers, in the research process. Citizen science has become increasingly popular recently, supported by the proliferation of mobile communication technologies such as smartphones. However, citizen science methodologies have not yet been widely adopted in agricultural research. Here, we conducted an online survey with 57 British and French farmers in 2014. We investigated (1) farmer ownership and use of smartphone technologies, (2) farmer use of farm-specific management apps, and (3) farmer interest and willingness to participate in agricultural citizen science projects. Our results show that 89 % respondents owned a smartphone, 84 % used it for farm management, and 72 % used it on a daily basis. Fifty-nine percent engaged with farm-specific apps, using on average four apps. Ninety-three percent respondents agreed that citizen science was a useful methodology for data collection, 93 % for real-time monitoring, 83 % for identification of research questions, 72 % for experimental work, and 72 % for wildlife recording. Farmers also showed strong interest to participate in citizen science projects, often willing to commit substantial amounts of time. For example, 54 % of British respondents were willing to participate in farmland wildlife recording once a week or monthly. Although financial support was not always regarded as necessary, experimental work was the most likely activity for which respondents thought financial support would be essential. Overall, this is the first study to quantify and explore farmers' use of smartphones for farm management, and document strong support for farm-based citizen science projects. (Résumé d'auteur

Réponse du manguier, Mangifera indica L., à la taille : caractérisation et intégration dans un modèle structure-fonction des effets de la taille sur la croissance végétative et la reproduction

Pruning is a common practice in tree fruit crops. However, its effects on the yield are variable and hardly predictable. In this thesis, we propose to study the effects of pruning on vegetative growth and reproduction for the mango tree (Mangifera indica L.), at the axis and at the tree scales, in order to better understand how fruit yield built-up following pruning. Pruning was characterized by two factors: pruning intensity, defined at the tree scale as the amount of fresh biomass removed per unit volume of canopy, and pruning severity, defined at the axis scale as the depth of pruning along the axis. At the axis scale, pruning intensity and severity had an effect on the occurrence, intensity and dynamics of vegetative growth. We also highlighted a major role of the diameter of the pruned axis on the occurrence and intensity of vegetative growth. The vegetative growth which results from pruning led to the emergence of new populations of axes whose proportions depend on pruning intensity. Flowering of these different populations of axes differ in terms of occurrence, intensity and dynamics and was affected negatively by pruning intensity and severity. At the tree scale, yields tended to be lower on moderately and intensively pruned trees as a result of a decrease of flowering rate and/or average weight of fruits. Lightly pruned trees had similar yields compared to unpruned trees. The effects of pruning on the vegetative growth, at the structural and temporal levels, were integrated in a functional-structural model of fruit yield and quality build-up. The model has shown that the number of axes and the leaf area removed at the pruning time were widely compensated by the vegetative growth stimulation that followed. The integration of the effects of pruning on reproduction will allow developing crop management techniques integrating pruning techniques in order to respond to agronomic issues related to mango tree as asynchronisms and irregular bearing.La taille est une pratique culturale courante en arboriculture. Pourtant ses effets sur le rendement sont variables et peu prévisibles. Dans cette thèse, nous proposons d'étudier les effets de la taille sur la croissance végétative et la reproduction du manguier (Mangifera indica L.), à l'échelle de l'axe et de l’arbre, afin de mieux comprendre comment s’élabore le rendement suite à la taille. La taille a été caractérisée par deux facteurs : l’intensité de taille, définie à l’échelle de l’arbre comme la quantité de biomasse retirée par volume de canopée, et la sévérité de taille, définie à l’échelle de l’axe comme la profondeur de taille le long de l’axe. A l’échelle de l’axe, l’intensité et la sévérité de taille ont eu des effets sur l’occurrence, l’intensité et la dynamique de la croissance végétative. Nous avons aussi mis en évidence un rôle important du diamètre de l’axe taillé sur l’occurrence et l’intensité de la croissance végétative. La croissance végétative qui résulte de la taille a conduit à l’apparition de nouvelles populations d’axes dont les proportions dépendent de l’intensité de taille des arbres. La floraison de ces différentes populations d’axes diffère en termes d’occurrence, d’intensité et de dynamique et est affectée négativement par l’intensité et la sévérité de taille. A l’échelle de l’arbre, les rendements ont eu tendance à être plus faibles sur les arbres modérément et intensément taillés du fait d’une diminution du taux de floraison et/ou du poids moyen des fruits. Les arbres faiblement taillés ont eu des rendements similaires à ceux des arbres non taillés. Les effets de la taille sur la croissance végétative, aux niveaux structurel et temporel, ont été intégrés dans un modèle structure-fonction d'élaboration du rendement et de la qualité de la mangue, afin de caractériser les effets de la taille à l'échelle plus globale de l'arbre. Ce modèle nous a montré que le nombre d’axes et la surface foliaire retirés au moment de la taille sont largement compensés par la stimulation de la croissance végétative qui a suivi. L’intégration des effets de la taille sur la reproduction dans le modèle permettra de concevoir des itinéraires techniques intégrant les pratiques de taille afin de répondre aux problèmes agronomiques rencontrés sur le manguier, tels que les asynchronismes ou les irrégularités de production

Response of the mango tree, Mangifera indica L., to pruning : characterization and integration in a functional-structural plant model of the effects of pruning on vegetative growth and reproduction

La taille est une pratique culturale courante en arboriculture. Pourtant ses effets sur le rendement sont variables et peu prévisibles. Dans cette thèse, nous proposons d'étudier les effets de la taille sur la croissance végétative et la reproduction du manguier (Mangifera indica L.), à l'échelle de l'axe et de l’arbre, afin de mieux comprendre comment s’élabore le rendement suite à la taille. La taille a été caractérisée par deux facteurs : l’intensité de taille, définie à l’échelle de l’arbre comme la quantité de biomasse retirée par volume de canopée, et la sévérité de taille, définie à l’échelle de l’axe comme la profondeur de taille le long de l’axe. A l’échelle de l’axe, l’intensité et la sévérité de taille ont eu des effets sur l’occurrence, l’intensité et la dynamique de la croissance végétative. Nous avons aussi mis en évidence un rôle important du diamètre de l’axe taillé sur l’occurrence et l’intensité de la croissance végétative. La croissance végétative qui résulte de la taille a conduit à l’apparition de nouvelles populations d’axes dont les proportions dépendent de l’intensité de taille des arbres. La floraison de ces différentes populations d’axes diffère en termes d’occurrence, d’intensité et de dynamique et est affectée négativement par l’intensité et la sévérité de taille. A l’échelle de l’arbre, les rendements ont eu tendance à être plus faibles sur les arbres modérément et intensément taillés du fait d’une diminution du taux de floraison et/ou du poids moyen des fruits. Les arbres faiblement taillés ont eu des rendements similaires à ceux des arbres non taillés. Les effets de la taille sur la croissance végétative, aux niveaux structurel et temporel, ont été intégrés dans un modèle structure-fonction d'élaboration du rendement et de la qualité de la mangue, afin de caractériser les effets de la taille à l'échelle plus globale de l'arbre. Ce modèle nous a montré que le nombre d’axes et la surface foliaire retirés au moment de la taille sont largement compensés par la stimulation de la croissance végétative qui a suivi. L’intégration des effets de la taille sur la reproduction dans le modèle permettra de concevoir des itinéraires techniques intégrant les pratiques de taille afin de répondre aux problèmes agronomiques rencontrés sur le manguier, tels que les asynchronismes ou les irrégularités de production.Pruning is a common practice in tree fruit crops. However, its effects on the yield are variable and hardly predictable. In this thesis, we propose to study the effects of pruning on vegetative growth and reproduction for the mango tree (Mangifera indica L.), at the axis and at the tree scales, in order to better understand how fruit yield built-up following pruning. Pruning was characterized by two factors: pruning intensity, defined at the tree scale as the amount of fresh biomass removed per unit volume of canopy, and pruning severity, defined at the axis scale as the depth of pruning along the axis. At the axis scale, pruning intensity and severity had an effect on the occurrence, intensity and dynamics of vegetative growth. We also highlighted a major role of the diameter of the pruned axis on the occurrence and intensity of vegetative growth. The vegetative growth which results from pruning led to the emergence of new populations of axes whose proportions depend on pruning intensity. Flowering of these different populations of axes differ in terms of occurrence, intensity and dynamics and was affected negatively by pruning intensity and severity. At the tree scale, yields tended to be lower on moderately and intensively pruned trees as a result of a decrease of flowering rate and/or average weight of fruits. Lightly pruned trees had similar yields compared to unpruned trees. The effects of pruning on the vegetative growth, at the structural and temporal levels, were integrated in a functional-structural model of fruit yield and quality build-up. The model has shown that the number of axes and the leaf area removed at the pruning time were widely compensated by the vegetative growth stimulation that followed. The integration of the effects of pruning on reproduction will allow developing crop management techniques integrating pruning techniques in order to respond to agronomic issues related to mango tree as asynchronisms and irregular bearing

Nature abhors a vacuum: Deciphering the vegetative reaction of the mango tree to pruning

International audiencePruning is an important horticultural practice that generally promotes vegetative growth. However, the precise characterization of vegetative growth after pruning and of the factors affecting it are little known. The objective of this study was to decipher the vegetative response to pruning in a tropical evergreen species, the mango tree. Pruning was characterized by two factors: pruning intensity, defined at the tree scale as the amount of fresh biomass removed per unit volume of canopy, and pruning severity, defined at the axis scale as the distance between the pruning point and the distal end of the axis. Vegetative growth after pruning was broken down into structural (burst rate, vegetative growth intensity, leaf area produced) and temporal (burst date) variables, and the effects of pruning were evaluated on these variables at a local scale on pruned axes and at a distant scale on unpruned axes. Burst rate and leaf area produced increased with pruning intensity (pruned and unpruned axes), pruning severity (pruned axes), axis diameter (pruned and unpruned axes) and proximity to pruned axes (unpruned axes). Vegetative growth intensity increased with pruning severity (pruned axes) and axis diameter (pruned and unpruned axes) but was not affected by pruning intensity. For these three variables, local responses were more important than distant responses. The dynamics of vegetative growth was affected by pruning intensity and severity. Results depicted the complexity of mango tree response to pruning at different scales. As a general rule, more extensive pruning led to larger and more synchronous vegetative growth