Dr Femi Akinsanmi - Application of tree shaker technology for husk spot control in macadamias

Pest and disease management

Dr Femi Akinsanmi

Cultural disease management with tree shakers

16th October, 2014

Application of tree shaker technology for husk spot control in macadamias

2014 AMS 40th Anniversary Industry Conference proudly presented by

Husk spot disease.

Disease management approach.

Application of tree shaker technology for disease control.

Potential additional benefits & challenges of using tree shakers in macadamia.

Concluding remarks.

Outline


Husk spot disease

Fungal pathogen infects macadamia husks.

Causes premature nut drop = severe yield loss (40%+).

Potentially costs the Australian industry ~ $10m/year

Increases annual production costs.

Increases risk and reliance on pesticide applications.

Accelerates nut drop.

Pseudocercospora macadamiae

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul

Pe

rce

nta

ge

of

tota

l n

ut

dro

p

Months

Desirable nut droppattern

Premium kernelLow grade kernel

Optimum

kernel

maturity

period


Husk spot disease

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40


Pe

rce

nta

ge

of

tota

l n

ut

dro

p

Months


Husk spot inducednut drop pattern


Optimum

kernel

maturity

period

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40


Pe

rce

nta

ge

of

tota

l n

ut

dro

p

Months



Optimum

kernel

maturity

period


1. Fungicide spray applications

Prophylactic spray applications (Before infection and or symptom expression)

2. Disease resistance

Select tolerant or less disease-conducive cultivars

3. Cultural control

Harvest or after harvest period

Pre-harvest period

4. Biological control

• Research currently underway (MC12008)

Husk spot management approach




Fungal spores produced on

diseased husks from preceding

seasons infect developing nut.

Remove/reduce (sticktights) the source of Inoculum = Break disease cycle

Without

sticktights

22%

With

sticktights

78%

A38

Without

sticktights

17%

With

sticktights

83%

HAES246

Relative proportion of husk spot incidence


May stay in the tree canopy for several years

Manual removal is labour-intensive

Manual removal is not economical in commercial orchards


Year 1 Year 2

Mechanical removal Untreated

Mechanical removal Mechanical removal

Untreated Untreated

Mechanical removal Untreated

Mechanical removal Mechanical removal

Untreated Untreated

No fungicide

Spray Fungicide

Research Questions:

1. Is tree shaker effective in reducing the prevalence of sticktights?

2. Should mechanical removal of sticktights be an annual farm operation?

3. Should sticktights removal operation be performed with fungicide spray applications?

Cultivars A38 & A16

Application of tree shaker technology to remove sticktights from tree canopy


Husk spot management: Sticktights removal using tree shakers



Removal efficiency:

almost 100%

Husk spot management: Cultural control (sticktights removal)


• Tractor speed: 3.2 km/h

• Removal efficiency: 60%

Husk spot management: Cultural control (sticktights removal)


Husk spot management

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Mechanical sticktightsremoval

Untreated control Mechanical sticktightsremoval

Untreated control

Fungicide spray application No fungicide application

Hu

sk s

po

t se

veri

ty

Treatment

Cultivar A38

Cultivar A16


Additional advantages of using tree shaker technology in macadamia

Prompt & faster harvest period.

Removal of dead leaves, twigs & branches (unwanted shading).

Crop load thinning.


0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

246 849 Daddow 816 842 814 A4 814 A16 781

Stic

ktig

hts

rat

ing

(0-5

)

Macadamia cultivars (Bundaberg Research Station)

0

10

20

30

40

50

Non-irrigated-noethrel

Non-irrigated-ethrel

Irrigated-noethrel

Irrigated-ethrel

Ave

rage

nu

mb

er

of

stic

ktig

hts

Treatment

Application of tree shaker technology for harvesting in macadamia

• Optimise for macadamia

• Shaker with harvesting capability

Challenges for using tree shaker technology in macadamia


• Reducing tree damage

• Increase removal percentage

• Optimise with abscission agent (for late varieties)

• Increase harvest speed and efficiency

• Canopy management


Timing of application of tree shaker for disease control and harvesting in macadamia


Application of tree shaker in macadamia will improve productivity

- Reduce husk spot

- Increase harvest tonnage

- Improve harvest efficiency

Efficient+ effective macadamia systems approach is the key


Acknowledgements

UQ research team: Associate Professor Andre Drenth; Ms Cecilia O’Dwyer, Dr Andrew Miles

Macadamia growers & consultants:

Dr Chris Searle (Suncoast Gold)

Robbie Commens (AMS Productivity Development Officer)

Matthew Burns (Hancock Farm Company)

Ross Burling (CEO, Stahmann Farms)

Scott Alcott and MFM team

HAL Project No. MC12007 - Disease management in Macadamia Industry

Business

Dr Femi Akinsanmi - Application of tree shaker technology for husk spot control in macadamias