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Macadamia flower blight control

2024 | Kojetin L | Fact Sheet

Fact sheet providing monitoring and control options for macadamia flower blight. Updated April 2024.

MacAlert April 2024

2024 | Kojetin L, Australian Macadamia Society | Manual/guide

Key messages this month include: • Tips for the harvest period. Wet weather has made harvest a challenge. Ensure harvest gear is maintained and follow actions to maximize kernel quality. • Soil and leaf sampling. How and when to take samples of your orchard, and how to get the most out of your results. • Organic inputs. Now is the time to determine organic amendments you will be applying directly after harvest. • Rats, cockatoos and feral pigs. Controlling vertebrate pests during nut drop is essential. Read about management practices you can implement to mitigate these pests. • On-farm crop loss. Understanding where loss is coming from can be invaluable. • Frost mitigation. Consider management practices if you are in frost-risk areas, especially if you have younger trees which are highly susceptible.

Gut contents analysis of macadamia predators: Who eats what and when

2024 | Islam S, Whitehouse M, Mainali B, Beach S, Tay A, Hossain Biswas J, Mottakina Akter M, Zulfiqar Rizvi S | Research report/Update

Predators play an important role in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) without cost to the grower. However, to make the most of this free labour requires understanding which predators consume which pest. Here we undertook the initial analysis to identify the pests consumed by predators in Macadamia using molecular analyses. First, we confirmed the species identifications of the predators, and then we undertook a metagenomic analysis of the gut contents of predators to establish which predators were consuming which pests in the macadamia ecosystem. This is the first of these types of analyses that we plan to undertake.

MacAlert March 2024

2024 | Australian Macadamia Society | Manual/guide

Key messages this month: • Rats. Wet weather has made ideal conditions for rats and mice. • Thrip and Mite damage. Thrip and mite flare ups are often the direct impact from too frequent use of disruptive chemicals. • Kernel Grub. Check storage bins for pests attracted to the odour from broken shells, like kernel grub. • Phytophthora. Phytophthora root rot and trunk canker have a significant impact on production following wet weather. Now is a good time to asses its prevalence. • Nutrition. Long term productivity relies on consistent nutrition which usually includes organic material. You may need to monitor closely more mobile elements such as nitrogen. • Orchard floor preparation is not the only clean up required prior to harvest. Cleaning and checking for any contaminants are essential for food safety as well as a supply requirement with your processor. • There are major benefits to completing a crop loss assessment on all loads coming into the shed. • Are there ways to reduce your harvest period and set the orchard up for the following season sooner?

AMS News Bulletin Autumn 2024

2024 | Islam S, Whitehouse M, Allison C, Kojetin L, Bond D, Hamilton-Bate C, Jones K, Topp B, Brinkhoff J, Hanan J, Price J, Robson A, Auzmendi I, Mainali B, Gillespie M, Beach S, Tay A, Hossain Biswas J, Mottakina Akter M, Zulfiqar Rizvi S, Le Rouz J, Pickard G, Cook J, Nunn J | News Bulletin

CEO’s report
2024 delivers improved global outlook
Industry insights
MCT invests in wild macadamia research and protection
Monitoring and managing post-harvest quality
Harvesters: Homegrown and imported to suit every orchard
New handler for Bundaberg region
Long-term focus on soil health yields results
Regular monitoring pays off for Glass House Mountains orchard
Farming 2- to 6-year-old wood
Gut contents analysis of macadamia predators: Who eats what and when
Assessment of thermal thresholds of Leptocoris: Are these bugs a threat to macadamia?
Feeding the bees: Understanding the health and behaviour of managed stingless bees in macadamia orchards
Does higher planting density increase orchard lifespan yield?
Satellite imagery improves macadamia yield forecasts
Breeding for husk spot resistance in new cultivars
The stand-out macadamia product discoveries of 2023
The macadamia – Australia’s gift to the world
CCC Macadamia Open Day at Alstonville
ANIC quietly at work for tree nut growers
Nuts for Life update
The importance of cash flow management
Is your farm biosecurity plan up to date?
Emergency Plant Pests - what they are and how to report them
Australian macadamia minor use and emergency permits

Monitoring and Managing Post-harvest Quality in Macadamia

2024 | Jones K | Fact Sheet

AMS’ recent MacGroups featured post-harvest management expert Kim Jones, Director of Cropwatch Independent Laboratories. The session provided participants with practical ways growers can retain nut quality on-farm. This resource summarises useful monitoring and management tips.

MacAlert February 2024

2024 | Australian Macadamia Society | Manual/guide

Key messages this month: Rats. If you're not actively managing rats now, it will only get worse through harvest. Spotting bug. Late season damage is only revealed in consignment reports or on drop sheets. Botryosphaeria branch dieback. Symptoms become obvious in late summer. The autumn flush has started earlier this year in response to rain. Monitoring flush, in particular where flush is poor is a pre-emptive way to identify tree health issues. Finish pre-harvest clean-up ensuring no old nuts, sticks and debris remain on the orchard floor. With orchard hygiene and clean-up in progress, ensure mulcher parts (grease points, belts, hammers and retaining bolts) are not worn and functional. Conduct thorough maintenance of dehusking/sorting shed. February/March MacGroups are your chance to connect with others in the industry. RSVP now.

MacAlert January 2024

2024 | Australian Macadamia Society | Manual/guide

Key messages this month • Spotting bugs. Although shells have hardened, damage is still possible and will be worse after rain. • Leptocoris. More Leptocoris have been found in recent seasons and we are unsure why. • Macadamia nut borer. MacTrix wasp releases should continue into January. • Bark/boring beetles. More prevalent in recent dry seasons, members of the scolytid beetle family, commonly known as bark beetles or borers can cause tree and nut damage • Husk spot and husk rot. January onwards is a good time to assess any loss from these two husk diseases in the orchard. • Water requirements are now at their maximum. Macadamias are highly susceptible to water stress during oil accumulation which will continue into late February in Queensland and early March in New South Wales. • Heading further into summer, heavy rain along with the potential for strong winds, storms, cyclones and east coast lows are all a possibility. • Start preparing for preharvest clean-up. Orchard floor fanatics maximise income. • On-farm nut storage will be important as the supply chain changes. Storage is nuanced and professional advice is recommended, even if you have a small operation.

MacAlert December 2023

2023 | Australian Macadamia Society | Manual/guide

Key messages this month include: • Spotting bug. Keep monitoring for spotting bug by examining fallen nuts for damage. • Unless you're using species specific pheromone lures, monitoring and management is the same for banana spotting bug (BSB) and fruit spotting bug (FSB). • Macadamia Nut Borer (MNB). Keep monitoring for MNB eggs which helps time wasp releases. • Leptocoris. Red-brown winged bugs, known to harbour in foam bark and golden rain trees. • Water demand. Nut shed will continue in some regions, particularly southern areas where the crop is less advanced. • The month ahead remains a fire danger, but the arrival of storm season sees a change in preparation. Do you have a plan to deal with any orchard damage from severe storms? • Benchmarking data collection is underway for the 2023 season and it’s not too late to be join. Benchmarking is a free and confidential service comparing your farm’s yield, quality and optionally costs with other similar farms and the wider industry. • Start a conversation with your processor. With global and domestic supply increases and changes to the supply chain, there have been changes to “usual”.

AMS News Bulletin Summer 2023

2023 | Ellis K, Kojetin L, Bond D, Hamilton-Bate C, Currey A, Epplett N, Price J, Mainali B, Islam S, Whitehouse M, Arnett R | News Bulletin

In-shell demand surge from China sees market dynamics shift
Industry insights
MCT: Macadamia habitat zones to inform conservation actions
Hort Innovation Reset and Refresh – macadamia R&D advice model confirmed
Interim funding model for WMO
WMO – looking ahead
Support for flood and rainfall recovery in Queensland
Mulch a winner in orchard management
Drought preparedness built on soil health
Understanding the impact of natural disasters on rural land managers
Growers focus on maintaining annual routines
AMS Awards of Excellence – Production
Testing new ideas key to lifting productivity
All-rounder skills for orchard management
Long-term investment pays off
New growers optimistic about future of floodplain orchard
A glimpse into Banyula’s seasonal journey
Non-levy funded research projects
Can lace bugs be controlled with predators?
New study of on-farm crop losses underway
Expanding horizons: Australian macadamias start making their mark in India
IMS23: Symposium roundup
Australian macadamia minor use and emergency permits

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