Tree Crop News

Almonds

Almond orchards give bees weakened by drought a vital boost during pollination season

While the word drought conjures images of cattle skulls and withered crops, few consider the effect a drought can have upon the insect kingdom. But the devastation brought by the big dry has been revealed during the annual bee muster in north-west Victoria, which concluded in August.

Stone Fruit

Field determination of sugar and dry matter in nectarines

Monitoring fruit quality over time using near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy technologies offers the opportunity to correct agronomic practices and determine the right moment for fruit picking.

Fruit Fly

New fruit fly handbook and website

Get familiar with the diversity of fruit flies worldwide with a new handbook and website that makes identification easier – hopefully aiding in the early detection of exotic pest incursions.

Mangoes

New varieties flesh out mango offering

Mango harvest has started in the Ord Valley as packing houses pump out boxes of fruit to be delivered to markets across Australia.

Mangoes

Mangoes hit the shops in ‘extra flavoursome’ season

Tropical mango madness is taking hold, with fruit as cheap as $1 and claims that this year’s crop could be the tastiest on record.

Fruit Fly

New start-up sets sights on fruit fly

The Coalition Government is helping Australian farmers through a new tech start-up taking aim at Australia’s biggest biosecurity barrier to trade: the fruit fly.

Citrus

Australia's citrus industry set for another record year but nurseries run short of tree stock

Citrus growers across Australia have good reason to celebrate, with prices and global demand predicted to hit new records.

Mangoes

How to double your mango tree yields

A NEW trial could see mangoes grown in an alternative way around the country. The project will look at methods to potentially double the per-hectare productivity on mango farms.

Tropical trees - Flowering, thinning & PGRs

Stingless bees put to use in new study aimed at improving rambutan yields

Stingless bees that were rescued from a building before it was demolished in the Top End are now being put to use in a research project focusing on improving rambutan yields.

Citrus

Govt on North West citrus canker case

The State Government has sent surveillance teams to the North West to confirm the absence of citrus canker.

Avocado

Avocado growers say prices have hit their peak while supply continues to skyrocket

In good news for avocado lovers, they have likely paid the most they will ever pay for an avocado during summer, and the popular fruit will keep getting cheaper.

Avocado

Separating ripe and unripe avocados results in higher sales

A new initiative to stop shoppers squeezing avocados to test the fruit's ripeness has resulted in a halving of bruised fruit and higher avocado sales.

Flowering, thinning & PGRs

Bees get stressed at work too

A honey bee’s life is hardly relaxing. Every day forager bees make many trips, travelling long distances, to gather vital resources of pollen and nectar from flowers. They have to deal with predators, challenging weather conditions and the very real risk of getting lost.

Disease & weed control - Insect & mite control

Protect crops against pests and diseases

Deciduous fruit growers have access to the latest information on all aspects of protecting orchards from pests and diseases in the new Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Orchard plant protection guide for deciduous fruits in NSW.

General

$10 million in agriculture grants now available

Local jobs in rural and regional Queensland will receive a boost thanks to the Palaszczuk Government’s new $10 million Rural Economic Development Grants Program.