News

The summer edition’s feature looks at technologies for the orchard and their potential for improving productivity in the future. Data management will be a big part of the orchard of the future and Paul Hibbert describes some of the equipment based on this technology, e.g. automated irrigation, monitoring devices and GPD mapping and recording, and how it is being adopted by growers. Col Peak from Peak Environmental Monitoring gives the lowdown on weather monitoring tools and Dr Daniel Manson from Sunfam describes the next step in irrigation efficiency – sapflow monitoring.

In other articles, find out about an integrated system to rodent control in orchards, read how a gift of macadamias in drought hampers has put smiles on the faces of farmers in western NSW, be excited by the fact that a new population of Macadamia Jansenii has been found, and see if you agree with Brice Kaddatz that production from macadamias can be much improved.  

Also included are regular features on R&D, including an update of the registration of indoxacarb for macadamia seed weevil treatment and a new project to develop a macadamia high health nursery stock certification scheme 

Article authors include Leoni Kojetin, Lynne Ziehlke, Brice Kaddatz, Anne Currey and Denise Bond, AMS; Megan Boote, Suncoast Gold Macadamias; Dr Femi Akinsanmi, QAAFI; John MacDonald, NGIA; Andrew Chamberlin, Queensland Farmers’ Federation; Dr David Elmouttie, BASF Professional and Speciality Solutions; Dumisani Mhlanga, Hort Innovation; and Brendan O’Brien, NSW Land Services.