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MacAlert May 2026

2026 | Grieve E, Kojetin L, Long E | Research report/Update

Key messages this month include:
Phytophthora remains a pervasive disease in macadamia. While conditions this season have been drier, the impacts of multiple wet seasons are still prevalent in many orchards.
Continue auditing harvest efficiency, checking the condition of consumable or wearing parts and looking out for machine damage to nuts.
Haloxyfop is not suitable for use in during harvest periods.
Planning crop inputs for the season ahead is crucial. Be sure to assess broader aspects such as soil fertility to support long-term productivity.
With cooling weather, the opportunity to apply ethephon may have passed. Consider the conditions required for effective results.
Begin monitoring for frost events and determine if protectants are required.
With recent rain, nut could be at a higher field moisture. Removing the heat and moisture from respiration is essential to maintaining kernel quality.
Book your pest consultant to monitor for critical pests and diseases next month.
Contact a beekeeper to bring managed hives to the orchard. Varroa mite is having severe impacts on the honey bee industry, so don't expect hives to be as easy to secure as usual.
Save the date for July MacGroups. Running from 14 to 29 July, be sure to mark your region's MacGroup in your calendar.

2026 March MacGroup Presentation recordings

2026 | Broster J | Video

Missed Dr John Broster at March MacGroups? Watch his presentation on weed identification, MRL considerations and practical strategies to manage herbicide resistance in macadamia orchards.

2025 AMS Showcase video

2025 | Grieve E, Kojetin L | Video

The AMS Showcase events in Queensland and the NSW attracted more than 400 growers and industry representatives across both states

Rodenticide update: what growers need to know

2026 | Kojetin L | Research report/Update

There has been a regulatory change affecting second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGAR’s). Products containing brodifacoum (i.e. Tomcat II and Ratsak Fast Action), bromadiolone (i.e. Bromakil), difenacoum (i.e. The Big Cheese), difethialone (i.e. Generation) and flocoumafen (i.e. Storm) previously allowed in and around nonorchard areas such as sheds, homes and buildings, have been suspended by APVMA for 12 months. This is while a safety review is conducted regarding impacts on wildlife, pets and other non-target species.

MacAlert April 2026

2026 | Grieve E, Kojetin L | Research report/Update

Key messages this month include:
It's all about harvest efficiency and post-harvest handling for the next months to maintain kernel quality and minimise rejects.
Blocks sprayed with ethephon generally take twice as long to harvest.
Tree and soil moisture stress increases sticktights. It is not impacted by ethephon.
Haloxyfop is not suitable during harvest as it poses a food safety risk if it contacts nuts, even in husk.
Second generation anticoagulant rodenticides have been suspended from March '26 for one year. Use is only allowed under strict conditions.
Controlling vertebrate pests is essential during nut drop.
Soil and leaf sampling informs productivity and identifies limiting factors that are hard to diagnose by visual assessment alone.
Are you analysing on-farm crop loss? Discuss a protocol with your grower liaison officer.
Consider frost mitigation if you're in a frost-risk area and have younger trees which are highly susceptible.
Good quality nursery trees are a long-term investment, forming the foundation of your orchard for years to come.
View the nut-in-shell defects guide to help manage problems in the orchard that cause defects.

MacGroup highlights, resources and feedback

2026 | Kojetin L | Article

Thanks to everyone who joined our recent MacGroup events, bringing growers and industry members together to focus on orchard floor and weed management ahead of the coming season.

Herbicides in macadamias - a practical guide

2026 | Kojetin L, Grieve E | Fact Sheet

Herbicides are one tool in orchard floor management, not a stand-alone solution. Best results come from using them as part of an integrated program that includes groundcover management, timing, and mechanical control.

MacAlert March 2026

2026 | Grieve E, Kojetin L | Research report/Update

Key messages this month include:
The key to harvest is to manage people, machinery, grass and nuts without bottlenecks, delays or quality loss.
If you are applying herbicide, only use registered herbicides and follow all label directions. ID weeds before choosing a product.
Check withholding periods before spraying.
Rat control relies on consistent baiting and managing forage/shelter areas.
Conserve natural predators such as wasps, spiders and lacewings.
Check storage bins for pests attracted to the odour of broken shells, like kernel grub.
Maintaining tree health and productivity relies on consistent nutrition, best applied in smaller quantities more regularly.
In QLD an active campaign on moving plant safety is underway. Check that you have met all the legal responsibilities.

AMS News Bulletin Autumn 2026

2026 | Davies L, Grieve E, Kojetin L, Bond D, Bright J, Quinlan K, Searle C, Young R, Weinert M, Trueman S, Wallace H, Alam M, Orford R, Whitten M, Hosseini Bai S, Hill L, Kelley J, Martinez M | News Bulletin

Autumn 2026 articles include:
CEO’s report
Market update
Marketing news
Industry insights
Nuts for Life
Meet your AMS Board
Gondwana has found clarity, confidence and a path forward
Tree change: managing canopies and replacing blocks field day
World Macadamia Organisation update
2025 macadamia season data
Building on tradition – WFI and the Australian macadamia industry
Wild macadamia conservation – healing the rivers
MACSAFE – protecting our industry reputation
Macadamias and the Great Barrier Reef
A considered, seasonal look at herbicide use in macadamia
Practical strategies for managing storm damage in orchards
What this year’s rainfall tells us about yields in Bundaberg
Crowsfoot grass vs Flaxleaf fleabane
Planning for future macadamia production in NSW
Ethephon for shortening the harvest: past research and current recommendations
Emerging researchers driving the future of Australian macadamia breeding
Moisture and heat associated with brown centres in macadamia nuts
AMS Kernel Laboratory Assessment Scheme (KLAS) update
Australian macadamia minor use permits

MacAlert February 2026

2026 | Grieve E, Kojetin L | Research report/Update

Key messages this month include:
Harvest and orchard floor clean-up, nut-receival, sorting and storage systems prep. Correct storage and handling is a must to maintain nut quality.
In QLD, a safety campaign is conducting audits on moving plant safety, operator training and systems.
Monitor nut maturity with a husk check or a maturity test with your processor for higher accuracy.
Are your agrichemical use records and pre-season audits up to date? Treat herbicides like any other pesticide.
Actively manage rats year-round with correct bait selection and placement. A rat bait overview is included.
Continue monitoring FSB/BSB and observe withholding periods carefully.
Botryosphaeria branch dieback issues become obvious in late summer. A list of symptoms and tests is included.
Assess your risk for Phytophthora root rot and trunk canker following a wetter summer.
Managing nutrition during harvest is essential.
Smaller and more frequent irrigation is more effective in this hot period when evapotranspiration is high.
MacGroups on effective orchard floor and weed management in Bundaberg and Northern Rivers. Join us for discussion and demonstrations.
Take a look at weather outlooks for March 2026.

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