Resources

Summary

This 10th edition of the NSW Macadamia plant protection guide aims to provide commercial macadamia growers with up-to-date information on all aspects of protecting an orchard from pests and diseases.

Feature article

This year’s feature article explores pesticide management beyond the standard integrated pest and disease management (IPDM) protocols. Specifically, it focuses on macadamia growers’ legal and practical responsibilities during pesticide application. Critical aspects include identifying and mapping sensitive areas such as water bodies, neighbouring properties, wildlife habitats, and buffer zones on your farm and its borders. The article details how to develop effective strategies for spraying near these sensitive areas, considering favourable winds and tailoring buffer zones for each block within your farm. The article also explains property owners' responsibilities for chemical storage and disposal, with details about best practices for safely storing chemicals on your farm and exploring responsible disposal methods using programs such as drumMUSTER and ChemClear.

Distribution

The guide is available free to macadamia growers and is distributed to all macadamia processors in Australia. Copies can be collected from NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) offices at Wollongbar and the Australian Macadamia Society, Local Land Services and selected rural retail stores. Every effort is made to have all macadamia growers obtain a copy of this publication. The guide can be downloaded from the NSW DPIRD website (http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/ content/agriculture/horticulture/nuts/growing-guides/macadamia-protection-guide).