Depending on the position of the fruit in the tree, mango fruit may be exposed to high temperature and
intense light conditions that may lead to metabolic and physiological disorders and affect yield and quality.
The present study aimed to determine how mango fruit adapted its functioning in terms of fruit water
relations, epicarp characteristics and the antioxidant defence systemin peel,to environmental conditions.
The effect of contrasted temperature and light conditions was evaluated under natural solar radiation
and temperature by comparing well-exposed and shaded fruit at three stages of fruit development. The
sun-exposed and shaded peels of the two sides of the well-exposed fruit were also compared.
Depending on fruit position within the canopy and on the side of a well-exposed fruit, the temperature
gradient over a day affected fruit characteristics such as transpiration, as revealed by the water potential
gradient as a function of the treatments, and led to a significant decrease in water conductance for wellexposed
fruits compared to fruits within the canopy. Changes in cuticle thickness according to fruit
position were consistent with those of fruit water conductance. Osmotic potential was also affected
by climatic environment and harvest stage. Environmental conditions that induced water stress and
greater light exposure, like on the sunny side of well-exposed fruit, increased the hydrogen peroxide,
malondialdehyde and total and reduced ascorbate contents, as well as SOD, APX and MDHAR activities,
regardless of the maturity stage. The lowest values were measured in the peel of the shaded fruit, that of
the shaded side of well-exposed fruit being intermediate.
Mango fruits exposed to water-stress-induced conditions during growth adapt their functioning by
reducing their transpiration. Moreover, oxidative stress was limited as a consequence of the increase
in antioxidant content and enzyme activities. This adaptive response of mango fruit to its climatic
environment during growth could affect postharvest behaviour and quality