RESEARCH & EVENTS
Lessons from replanting at Outback Almonds
By Tonya Wiechel 1, Tom Douglas 2 and Simone Kreidl 1
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Agriculture Victoria, Agriculture Science Technology, AgriBio Centre for AgriBiosciences, Bundoora 2 Outback Almonds Wentworth
Case study at Outback Almonds to show how soil treatment can improve almond tree growth and survival during orchard replanting.
Replant orchard in bloom. Image by Tom Douglas
Figure 1. Total percent tree survival of Nonpareil and Wood Colony in treated and virgin soil.
ONE of the most significant constraints to successful orchard redevelopment is replant disease( RD). This complex disorder has been reported in almonds, apples, and stone fruit crops globally. RD affects young replanted trees, causing poor establishment, reduced growth and lower vigour. It is often most severe in the first few years after planting and can be difficult to predict or diagnose in the field. While research overseas has shown that impacts of RD can be reduced using approaches such as soil fumigation, anaerobic soil disinfestation, and biofumigation, there is limited understanding of RD incidence and management in Australian almonds. Monitoring of replanted orchards is critical, allowing us to quantify its prevalence and informing management strategies for local conditions. To help address this knowledge gap, a field-based case study was established at Outback Almonds near Wentworth. Outback Almonds is a family-owned almond business established by the Douglas family in 1998. Since then, the orchard has grown from about 3,000 trees to around 9,000 almond trees and now produces a range of value-added almond products. A graduate of the ABA’ s inaugural Growing Almond Leaders program, Tom Douglas is both a grower and industry advocate, strongly committed to improving the longterm sustainability and productivity of Australian almond orchards. With the orchard now entering the replant phase, Outback Almonds provided an ideal site to assess replant disease impacts and test practical management options that may benefit other Australian almond growers facing similar redevelopment challenges.
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industry. australianalmonds. com. au
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