Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • The Bundaberg Path To High Early Yields: (A Challenge To Traditional Thinking)

    Uploaded by

    AUDIR audir
    13 views16 pages
    The document presents a method for achieving high early yields in macadamia orchards through maximizing light interception, growth, and productivity. The key aspects of the method are applying high nitrogen fertilizer to double the canopy volume each year, mechanically pruning trees frequently to promote flowering from cut points, and maintaining low skirts and graft unions. This approach aims to reach a sustainable yield of 4.5 tons per hectare by year nine, making macadamia farming profitable much earlier. Actual yield data from several farms supports that this intensive approach can achieve much higher early yields than traditional methods.

    Original Description:

    Original Title

    onfarminnovationsthatincreaseproduction-innovativeyoungmacadamiatreeproductionsystemsusedinbundaberg-chrissearle-130410220232-phpapp01

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    Report this Document
    The document presents a method for achieving high early yields in macadamia orchards through maximizing light interception, growth, and productivity. The key aspects of the method are applying high nitrogen fertilizer to double the canopy volume each year, mechanically pruning trees frequently to promote flowering from cut points, and maintaining low skirts and graft unions. This approach aims to reach a sustainable yield of 4.5 tons per hectare by year nine, making macadamia farming profitable much earlier. Actual yield data from several farms supports that this intensive approach can achieve much higher early yields than traditional methods.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    13 views16 pages

    The Bundaberg Path To High Early Yields: (A Challenge To Traditional Thinking)

    Uploaded by

    AUDIR audir
    The document presents a method for achieving high early yields in macadamia orchards through maximizing light interception, growth, and productivity. The key aspects of the method are applying high nitrogen fertilizer to double the canopy volume each year, mechanically pruning trees frequently to promote flowering from cut points, and maintaining low skirts and graft unions. This approach aims to reach a sustainable yield of 4.5 tons per hectare by year nine, making macadamia farming profitable much earlier. Actual yield data from several farms supports that this intensive approach can achieve much higher early yields than traditional methods.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 16

    The Bundaberg path to high

    early yields
    (A challenge to traditional thinking)
    Chris Searle
    Suncoast Gold Macadamias
    Objective
    • Reach a sustainable yield 4.5 t NIS /ha
    (36% SKR = 1.6t of kernel) by year nine

    Why ?
    • High early yields are the key to making
    macadamia profitable in the short to
    medium term (Precocity)
    6

    4
    Yield (NIS) t/ha

    3 Traditional
    Predicted
    2

    0
    2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
    Year
    Fig1. Traditional yield curve and predicted yield
    curve from high input system
    6

    4
    Yield (NIS) t/ha

    3
    Traditional
    Predicted
    2

    0
    2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
    Year
    Fig 2. Traditional yield and predicted yield curves plus actual
    data from 7 businesses (210,000 trees 8x4 spacing )
    Method
    Maximise light interception
    • Double canopy volume every year
    • High fertliser (N) inputs

    Maximise potential productivity


    • Divert energy into crop not growth
    • Repeat mechanical pruning (every time tree
    grows 50cm cut off 20cm) - internal complexity
    • Low graft and low skirts
    Maximise light interception by maximising
    growth
    High Nitrogen program (poor soils)
    • Year 1 100g N /tree /year (32kg/ha)
    • Year 2 200g N /tree /year (63 kg/ha)
    • Year 3 300g N /tree /year (94 kg/ha)
    • Year 4 400g N /tree /year (125kg/ha)
    • Minimum - apply monthly, 12 months of year

    • Ensure all micronutrient deficiencies are


    corrected – no impediments to growth
    One year old
    tree - 1.3 m
    high

    1.4 m
    Four year
    old tree
    3.2m 3.2m high
    Six year old
    tree –
    4.4m high
    4.4m
    Maximise potential productivity
    • Low graft union (minimise wind damage)
    • Repeat mechanical pruning (every time tree
    grows 50cm cut off 20cm)
    • Create multiple sites for flower development
    at cut points (internal complexity)
    • Maximise productivity by maintaining low
    skirts (don’t cut off 2 year old wood)
    Divert energy into yield not growth
    18 month old
    tree
    Pruned three
    times since
    1.5m
    being planted

    35cm
    2011 Original cut
    2012
    2010

    2013
    flowering

    2012
    flowering Old racemes
    2011 flowering

    Weight dragging down branch opening canopy


    Pruning promotes flowering at cut points. Often one year old
    wood will flower. Weight at end of branch drags it down
    opening canopy
    3.5 year old
    tree
    Shaping
    3.6m
    starting to
    take place
    Not all varieties the same
    • Minimum pruning (A203, A4, 344)
    • Moderate pruning (842, 816)
    • Heavy pruning ( A268, 741)

    Pruning also
    • reduces wind damage
    • reduces leaning trees (mechanisation)
    Change in the profitability equation
    Cost
    8 x mechanical prunings @10c a tree/time = 80c
    1,000 g N /tree = $2.50
    Total = $3.30 = 1 kg NIS

    High early yields


    • Reduce debt – earlier breakeven
    • Macadamia a viable investment (IRR 6%)
    • Allows you to set up for mature orchard phase
    Challenge - maintain yield 4.5 t NIS
    (1.6 t/ha kernel) in mature orchards
    Maximise light distribution (key)
    • mechanical hedging and limb removal?
    • maintain production of fruiting wood

    Maintain tree and soil health over long term


    • Soil health - continue organic matter program
    • Minimise soil loss

    Future - need varieties that have 20% higher yield -


    breed the ‘wildness’ out of macadamia

    You might also like