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	Adoption of groundcover in macadamias
	This project aims to establish large scale plantings of smothergrass to evaluate its value in different growing situations and regions and to develop best practice that will facilitate industry wide adoption.
	Adoption of the Macadamia Industry Approved Supplier Program
	Markets are demanding more assurances of food safety. Due to this an Approved Supplier Program has been developed by the macadamia industry and the next step is to prepare growers for auditing to ensure the industry maintains market access.
	Awareness Training in Private Native Forestry
	To support the introduction of the Codes of Practice for private native forestry (PNF) activities a training package for landholders and contractors will be developed, trialled and rolled out in the first half of 2009.
	Banana tissue culture establishment
	The establishment of tissue culture plants at different ages and sizes will be compared with normal planting material.
	Comparison of fungicides for control of rust of blueberries
	Considerable information already has been gathered on the significance of rust in blueberries on the North Coast of NSW. An assessment will be made of the efficacy of six protectant and nine synthetic fungicides as alternatives to the standard industry treatments currently used in the control of rust in blueberries. The aim is to maintain the quantity and quality of fruit yield and hence profitability of the crop while reduced production costs.
	Diseases of blueberries
	Replicated small plot field experiments at Blueberry Farms Australia, Corindi NSW, will examine a range of pre-harvest fungicide treatments for their effect on the development of post-harvest fruit rots. The effect of cultural treatments will also be determined. The effect of Phytophthora root rot on the vigour and longevity of blueberries will be studied using a range of soil and foliar fungicides to suppress infection with this pathogen.
	Fruitspotting bug survey on avocado farm
	Fruitspotting bugs (FSB) are a key pest in avocados and common management practice of FSB currently relies entirely on insecticides. Some producers are growing avocados with minimal spraying and don’t appear to have significant losses due to FSB. The aim is to identify the factors that drive the ecological system in a selected orchard.
	Improving soil and orchard floor management in macadamias
	Macadamia nuts are harvested off bare soil, and with high rainfall, soil erosion has occurred. This project will fill eroded areas with inter-row soil and stabilise the moved soil. Trials include fast growing ground cover species, polyacrylamide (PAM), poly vinyl acetate (PVA) and molasses, with smothergrass the long term solution.
	Low chill stone fruit varietal evaluations
	The project will continue to identify, test and evaluate stone fruit from trees growing in the Low Chill Australia evaluation block at Bangalow NSW, from July 2002 to July 2005. Many of the existing varieties are in their second and third year’s growth but new planting material will continue to be supplied from a number of sources. These include material from the sister project SF1010 Scoping study to develop low chill stone fruit for the Australian industry, and from private companies.
	Macadamia Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
	The Integrated Pest Management (IPM) project is developing a pest management strategy in macadamias that combines biological control, reduced insecticide input and the use of ‘soft’ insecticides that have no harmful impact on beneficials. In cooperation with macadamia pest consultants, field trials comparing standard management practice with IPM are conducted on 12 commercial properties.

The information contained in this web page is based on knowledge and understanding at the time of writing. However, because of advances in knowledge, users are reminded of the need to ensure that information upon which they rely is up to date and to check currency of the information with the appropriate officer of New South Wales Department of Agriculture or the user’s independent adviser.

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