Acclimation of mango (Mangifera indica cv. Calypso) to canopy light gradients - scaling from leaf to canopy

Mango (Mangifera indica), a leading tropical fruit crop, is a prime candidate for intensification through modern orchard-management techniques, including canopy manipulation to improve light interception. This study investigated how leaf-level acclimation to light gradients within the canopy of a high-yield, dwarfing mango cultivar (Calypso™) could be used to examine integrated canopy-scale responses. We quantified foliar morphological, biochemical, and physiological traits across a range of canopy positions using this information to model canopy-scale productivity within digital-twin representations of mango under both conventional open-vase and espalier training canopy systems.
Key findings demonstrated that leaves exposed to higher light exhibited increased leaf mass per area (LMA), nitrogen content, and photosynthetic capacity (Asat), but decreased chlorophyll-to-nitrogen ratios and photochemical reflectance indices, reflecting trade-offs between light capture and photoprotection. P..., Leaf samples from across a range of light environments were collected from an even-age cohort over 4 days at the Walkamin Research Station of the Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Mango Planting System Experiment (17° 8′ 17′′ S145° 25′ 41′′ E; elevation 599 m). The site has a 10-year mean daily minimum and maximum temperature of 17.2 ± 3.3 and 28.1 ± 3.5 °C respectively with a distinct dry/cool, wet/hot tropical climate.
After characterisation of the foliage-specific light environment, data on leaf-level gas exchange were collected in-situ using a portable photosynthesis analyser (LI-6400XT, LiCOR Biosciences, Lincoln NE, USA). Subsequently, leaves were detached, weighed for fresh weight, measured for lamina thickness, scanned  to determine leaf area, and analysed for chlorophyll content and light transmission/reflectance and by difference absorption for shortwave radiation (400-1000nm). Fresh leaves were then wrapped in aluminium foil and snap frozen in liquid nitrogen ..., , # Data from: Acclimation of mango (*Mangifera indica* cv. Calypso) to canopy light gradients - scaling from leaf to canopy

[https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.v41ns1s6k](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.v41ns1s6k)

## Description of the data and file structure

Data consists of two .csv files. The first is a temporal dataset for the 11 days preceding sampling and consists of leaf-level light characterization merged with site level meteorological conditions used for modelling of  photosynthesis. The second consists of all leaf-level morphological, physiological and biochemical characterization data determined on collected mango leaves. 

### Files and variables

#### File: TP\_2025\_24\_Met\_Data.csv

**Description:** Meteorological data used in modelling of photosynthesis including BOM station meteorological conditions and leaf-level light levels.

##### Variables

* datetime: format dd/mm/yyyy H:M
* Pres: Atmospheric pressure hPa
* Temp: Air Temperature (°C)
* RH: Relative Humidity (%)
* Wind...,