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MacAlert October 2025
2025 | Grieve E, Kojetin L | Manual/guide
Key messages this month include:
Flowering has been widely successful
Take note for next season of flowering red flags such as hot spots of any flower pests or prevalence of any flower diseases
Control macadamia seed weevil, banana fruit caterpillar, spotting bug (FSB/BSB) and husk spot
Apply a large portion of your annual potassium budget in the three months after flowering. Calcium is also in demand for cell growth
Manures have vastly different nutrient profiles so always ask for a nutritional analysis and ask where the product has come from
During spraying season, mitigating spray drift is crucial
All staff need to have good knowledge of spray drift mitigation principles and must follow farm standard operating procedures
Recent wet periods have made it ideal to sow cover crops in the inter row or headlands
Increasing ground cover can be as simple as less mowing - allowing what is there to spread all the way to active seeding
If you haven't already done so, order MacTrix wasps for macadamia nut borer (MNB) control ASAP
Make sure all staff are ready for the upcoming fire danger seasons.
Macadamia Plant Protection Guide 2025-2026, NSW DPI Management Guide
2025 | Bright J | Manual/guide
This 11th edition of the NSW Macadamia plant protection guide aims to provide commercial macadamia growers with up-to-date information on all aspects of protecting their orchard from pests and diseases.
MacAlert September 2025
2025 | Grieve E, Kojetin L | Manual/guide
Key messages this month include:
Monitor weekly to fortnightly for pests and diseases that affect flowers.
In NSW & SE QLD lace bug risk has peaked. In QLD, flower caterpillar eggs are being found as the weather warms.
Be aware of withholding periods. Zero withholding doesn't mean it’s safe to contact nuts.
Managed and wild pollinators are everywhere, so give careful thought to orchard activities/inputs.
Water demand is increasing, so have moisture monitoring and retention strategies in place.
Nutlets have a high demand for nutrients like potassium.
Take advantage of spring and seed some ground cover.
You need to be ready for husk spot and macadamia seed weevil control when nutlets are match-head size.
Late fruit spotting bug damage was again a large quality defect last season. Be prepared to manage this pests into January/February.
Have you ordered your MacTrix wasps?
MacAlert August 2025
2025 | Grieve E, Kojetin L | Manual/guide
Key messages this month include:
Lace bug can multiply rapidly so be vigilant.
Diazinon is no longer permitted after August 2025.
In northern regions, look out for flower caterpillar.
Discuss the disruption of chemical options with your pest consultant as harsher controls can cause secondary pests to flourish.
Timing of flower blight control is crucial as most options are protectant with limited curative action and don't work well once infection has already developed.
Just because a product is registered in Australia, does not mean you can use it safely. Read the Agrichemical Overview for available options and their key considerations for use.
As the weather warms, nutrition and water requirements increase. Check your boron levels before flowering and calcium for nut development.
Conduct a thorough audit of what needs to be repaired - harvesters, dehuskers and shed equipment for next season.
Flag mistletoe locations as many mistletoe species are flowering. Removal needs to be thorough, regular and coordinated.
Make plans for managed pollinators.
Winter is the time to prepare for fire risk season.
Shortly after flowering, husk spot control is important if your orchard has a history of the disease, stick tights and/or susceptible cultivars.
MacAlert July 2025
2025 | Grieve E, Kojetin L | Manual/guide
Key messages this month include:
Talk to your pest consultant about critical crop monitoring for flower diseases, pests like lace bug, and generally what is in the out-of-season flowers
Monitoring is about looking for the elements that enable production as well as crop protection
Find an overview of flower blights (grey, green mould, dry flower disease) and control options
Have you arranged post-harvest amendments and any top up nutrition before flowering such as compost, lime/gypsum or boron?
Now is the time to ensure sprayers are calibrated correctly and ready for the months ahead
Understanding tree row volume, dilute spray litreage, fan output, operating pressure, air displacement and travel speed are essential to get a good result
It's not the time to let up on rat management either in the orchard or the shed, it's a 365 day job
Make arrangements with your beekeeper for pollination services
Follow the RSVP link to join one of the MacGroups later in the month
Look at what the weather has in store during the months ahead
MacAlert June 2025
2025 | Grieve E, Kojetin L | Manual/guide
Key messages this month include:
Start the discussion with your pest consultant about the season ahead.
Following autumn assessments, there is time to adjust nutrition before flowering.
Boron is required for healthy flower and nut development.
If you don't have sufficient ground cover, mulch is important for soil and orchard condition.
Frost is a major risk in some areas. Keep up to date with BOM frost potential maps.
If you are behind on harvesting, consider disengaging any onboard dehuskers if you have shed options.
When profiling, take care not to bring deeper clay layers or at risk soils to the surface.
Complete all the checks to be 'spray ready'.
Check staff have valid chemical application certifications and develop a farm pesticide management plan.
Contact a beekeeper to bring managed hives to the orchard.
Save the dates of July MacGroups.
MacAlert May 2025
2025 | Grieve E, Kojetin L | Manual/guide
Key messages this month include:
After months of above average rainfall, assess Phytophthora levels in your orchard.
Planning crop inputs for the season ahead is essential as it gives you time to complete assessments, finalise recommendations and order inputs.
Orchard nutrition is a balance of building soil fertility, replenishing nutrients, supporting tree/crop development at critical periods and managing losses, on a budget.
Cultivars have different nutrient removal rates. Returning husk to the orchard is one of the most cost effective ways to replace nutrients.
Macadamias are not tolerant to frost; apply frost protectants if required.
Continue to audit harvest efficiency.
Removing the heat and moisture from respiration is essential to maintaining kernel quality.
Ensure conditions have been dry for at least 3 days prior to tree shaking to limit bark damage.
Spray Coverage & Calibration Workshop will run in June, covering the fundamentals of spray coverage and how you can get the best protection for your crop.
MacAlert April 2025
2025 | Grieve E, Kojetin L | Manual/guide
Key messages this month include:
Harvest regularly and stay on top of harvester checks. Harvest efficiency and post-harvest handling for the next months is key to maintaining kernel quality and minimising rejects.
Make sure your shed can handle the extra nut volume and larger deliveries to the processor when using ethephon.
Tree and moisture stress can exacerbate sticktights which are NOT impacted by ethephon.
Soil sampling shows key trends in soil properties and nutrient levels, while leaf sampling gives a within-tree view of nutrient status at a phenological stage.
Now is the time to determine organic amendments you will be applying immediately after harvest. Composting requires a minimum of 12 weeks preparation.
Managing soil moisture is critical as resources are replenished in this period.
Controlling vertebrate pests is essential during nut drop. The pests that cause most damage in orchards are rats, cockatoos and pigs.
Are you analysing on-farm crop loss? Discuss a protocol with your grower liaison officer.
Start thinking about frost mitigation if you are in a frost-risk area and have younger trees which are highly susceptible.
MacAlert March 2025
2025 | Grieve E, Kojetin L | Manual/guide
Key messages this month include:
Have you been impacted by Tropical Cyclone Alfred? If you haven't already, please take the time to complete a damage survey.
Triage damage by the most critical in the short term such as safely clearing the orchard then move onto medium term recovery strategies like disease prevention, orchard floor repair and tree health restoration.
Wet weather has made ideal conditions for rats and mice. Controlling rats relies on consistent baiting and managing areas they forage/shelter in.
Phytophthora root rot and trunk canker have a significant impact on production following wet weather. Now is a good time to assess its prevalence. Don’t wait for acute symptoms.
When are you going to complete leaf and soil sampling – in autumn or spring? Talk to your nutrition consultant about these critical tests.
If you are conducting any orchard cleanup post severe weather, don't take on tasks for yourself or staff that you aren't familiar with or qualified to perform. Also, never work alone when pruning or chipping!
Orchard preparation includes cleaning and checking for any contaminants are essential for food safety as well as a supply requirement with your processor.
Keeping ground cover low ensures grass won’t get too tall to reduce harvest efficiency.
Maintaining kernel quality and low rejects at this point is about harvest efficiency and handling/storage.
Start conducting any necessary safety audits.
MacAlert February 2025
2025 | Grieve E, Kojetin L | Manual/guide
Key messages this month include:
Rat populations have exploded following rainy years and are likely taking more nuts than you know! Population control relies on managing shelters and relentless baiting.
Modeling shows that it is a high-pressure spotting bug year in most growing regions.
Botryosphaeria branch dieback symptoms become obvious in late summer.
Pre-harvest clean-up is essential for harvest efficiency, reducing wear on harvest equipment and kernel quality.
Monitor and manage nutrition through harvest, particularly if recent rains have depleted soil of mobile nutrients.
Conduct maturity tests with your processor to guide the start of harvest.
Plan your transport logistics, on-farm storage options and conduct any pre-season audits required.
Be prepared with essential equipment in the event of a storm.
Conduct a harvester service and through maintenance of dehusking/sorting shed.
The AMS is holding two on-farm Showcases on 19 & 21 February in QLD and NSW.
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