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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.
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.
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.
MacAlert January 2026
2026 | Grieve E, Kojetin L | Research report/Update
Key messages this month include:
Rat pressure is a compounding cost that needs a proactive approach, refreshing baits and reducing food and shelter resources.
MacTrix wasp releases to control MNB should continue into January.
The FSB/BSB risk period has not eased - most eggs are laid in November to March.
Check for spotting bug damage by sampling nuts from trees, not on the ground.
Can you tell whetherdiseased husks are husk spot or husk rot? More information in the MacAlert.
Water requirements are now at their maximum. Ensure soil moisture is being read accurately.
During preharvest clean up, ensure boomsprayers are correctly calibrated and that you understand any chemicals to be used during harvest - especially the withholding periods.
Book in firm dates for third party orchard operations, transport services and consignment deliveries. Nuts delayed in on-farm storage vessels can increase rejects if conditions aren’t ideal.
Be aware of the heat. Where possible, plan around peak hot periods, rotate jobs, and scheduling regular rest breaks in shaded or cool areas.
Watch for early signs of heat stress such as headache, dizziness, nausea, muscle cramps or an unusual pulse.
The predicted short-lived La Niña has weakened. Take a look at other weather outlooks for early 2026.
MacAlert December 2025
2025 | Grieve E, Kojetin L | Manual/guide
Key messages this month include:
Monitor for spotting bug by examining fallen nuts when young, using drop sheets when more mature.
Most FSB/BSB eggs are laid in November to March. Only monitoring until Christmas or even Australia Day is costly!
Keep monitoring for macadamia nut borer, leptocoris and other young tree pests.
Have you considered horticultural oil as a control? It’s effective but has application guidelines.
Nitrogen and potassium are particularly important at this crop stage. Monitor for deficiency/toxicity signs to assess nutrient status.
Water requirements are at a peak and will remain high through to harvest. Soil monitoring and proactive irrigation is essential.
Storm season is here. Have you prepared your orchard/farm and prepared for storm recovery?
Join the Benchmarking data collection for the 2025 season to get your farm's yield and quality report for free.
A weak La Niña is underway and projected to be short lived. Take a look at other weather outlooks for 2026.
MacAlert November 2025
2025 | Grieve E, Kojetin L | Manual/guide
Key messages this month include:
Premature nut drop is natural and can’t be stopped in season but can be minimised.
Managing soil moisture, reducing damage from pests/diseases and to a lesser degree crop inputs are levers to manage nut shed.
A large portion of an annual potassium budget is needed for the growing crop, as well as demand for nitrogen.
Water demand in increasing. The rule of thumb with irrigation is less, more often.
Ensure any material placed on the orchard floor considers withholding periods.
Check for spotting bug damage at least weekly or even more regularly.
Monitor for macadamia nut borer eggs to help time releases of MacTrix wasps.
Overuse of the any broad-spectrum chemistry can cause further secondary pest issues.
Potential for damage increases as the storm intensity builds going into summer.
Getting spray management right is critical for productivity and global competitiveness.
The Benchmarking project team has commenced data collection for the 2024 season.
Check the weather outlook for December 2025. A weak La Niña is a possibility heading into summer.
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.
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