ACE Orchard Research Walk
Growers, farm managers and industry stakeholders are invited to a unique opportunity to engage with almond researchers at the ACE Orchard Research Walk 2025. This event on April 10 from 9am until noon, will feature a special presentation from María José Rubio Cabetas, an internationally recognised almond breeder, who is on sabbatical all the way from CITA Zaragoza and will provide insights into Spain’s approach to breeding and how it compares to the Australian program.
Researchers with projects at the ACE Orchard will also be available at their trail site for an informal catch up. The research walk will allow growers to move semi-freely across the ACE Orchard providing opportunity to engage one-on-one with researchers. Register here.
Q. What has been the highlight of your trip so far?
First at all, I am glad to see the almond breeding program started by Michelle Wirthensohn. We met in Spain in 2012. These cultivars are already well accepted in the market. I am looking forward to evaluating the progenies with Cassandra Collins. I have also enjoyed visiting the Almond Centre of Excellence in Loxton and seeing how it is managed in collaboration with the research institutes and university. I think it is the most effective way to work directly with the almond industry.
ACE harvest update
Harvest is in full swing at the Almond Centre of Excellence orchard in Loxton at the moment.
THE Almond Centre of Excellence is a hive of activity at the moment. Harvest at the experimental and demonstration orchard started in early February, two weeks earlier than usual, as a result of the warm and dry conditions.
“We’ve put a lot of work into training our harvest casuals. We’ve got each of them driving multiple machines and we are pretty happy with how it’s going,” ACE orchard assistant manager Anna Eadie said.
At one point there were 25 people on site involved with harvesting trials, with ABA staff and the research teams all working together.
The Almond Board of Australia, South Australian Research and Development Institute, Plant and Food Research Australia and the University of Adelaide run several Hort Innovation funded trials that are being harvested in 2025. Omnia and Stoller also have commercial trials at ACE which are being harvested this year.
“For us the most important thing is the trials, getting them out so we have confidence in their results,” ACE orchard manager Anthony Wachtel said.
“It pushes the harvest of non-trial trees back a little bit later.”
We've put a lot of work into training our harvest casuals. We've got each of them driving multiple machines and we are pretty happy with how it's going.
- Anna Eadie, ACE Orchard assistant manager
Each trial is individually shaken, swept and harvested, with the almonds from each treatment taken and weighed in bins.
Most of the researchers use the small scale huller that’s based at ACE to crack out samples from the trials.
These samples are then assessed for various quality characteristics. The findings will provide valuable insights for the industry, as researchers strive to showcase best management practices and new technology.
This is the first harvest since the permanent ACE office building was established and researchers have been able to use the lab/ workspace.
“Everyone’s been very impressed, it’s nice and cool with practical facilities for researchers and staff to use,” Mr Watchtel said. Harvest at ACE is expected to continue into April.
