News

Macadamia research was in the spotlight at Brisbane’s Queen Street Mall on Saturday 9 August, when University of Queensland PhD candidate Shelley Gage shared her work on pest resistance in macadamias as part of National Science Week.

Shelley’s presentation, titled “Moths, bugs and macadamias”, was part of Soapbox Science, an event where female scientists take to the streets to explain their research to the public.

Tackling key pests

Shelley is investigating how natural nut traits such as husk and shell hardness can help trees resist macadamia nut borer and fruit-spotting bug damage. Her project is part of the levy-funded National Macadamia Breeding Program, led by Dr Mobashwer Alam at UQ’s Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation.

Putting science into practice

To understand how resistant traits work, Shelley has been:

• Explaining and demonstrating damage to husks, shells and kernels caused by these insects
• Breeding fruit-spotting bugs for research use, then placing small bags containing the bugs over racemes on trees to create controlled infestations
• Recording nut damage and comparing this with traits like shell thickness and husk hardness

By matching insect damage data with nut characteristics, Shelley is identifying genetic markers linked to resistance. This means that in future, breeders will be able to select young trees with these markers early on, fast-tracking the development of orchards that are naturally more resilient.

What this means for growers

This research has the potential to:

• Reduce production costs, saving growers time and resources
• Lower insect damage in kernels, improving quality and yield
• Support sustainability, with more resilient orchards and reduced pest pressure
• Boost grower returns, with higher quality nuts reaching market

“It’s about creating a win-win,” Shelley said. “Consumers get better nuts, growers get better returns, and the environment benefits from more sustainable practices.”

Bringing science to the community

At the event, Shelley engaged passers-by with hands-on activities. People could compare a macadamia with a peanut to feel the difference in hardness, look at nut structures and shell thickness, and even taste kernels from different cultivars. Live fruit-spotting bugs and moth illustrations were also on display.

The presentation sparked plenty of questions and positive feedback, with the crowd eager to learn more about macadamias and their pests. Many left with a new appreciation for the work going into protecting Australia’s native crop.

About the project

Shelley’s PhD research is supported by the Hort Innovation National Macadamia Breeding Program and other industry partners

👉 If you’d like to know more about this research, you can contact Shelley Gage at [email protected]