What was it all about?

This investment supported the coordination and integration of a number of projects, which together made up the ‘PIPS2’ program for the apple and pear industry (the second iteration of the Productivity, Irrigation, Pests and Soils program).

Activities of the coordination project included improving communication within and between project teams and the apple and pear industry, coordinating linkages and activities between PIPS2 and the Future Orchards program, and more.

The programs that made up the PIPS2 program were:

• Improved tree and fruit nutrition for the Australian apple industry (AP14023)
• Integrated pest and disease management – phase 2 (AP15001)
• Physiological, metabolic and molecular basis of biennial bearing in apple (AP15002) and Physiological, metabolic and molecular basis of biennial bearing in apples – Australian component of AP15002 (AP15013)

A third iteration of the PIPS program was established following the conclusion of PIPS2, which you can read more about in the Hort Innovation media release ‘Launch of third apple and pear orchard program’ or on its project page Independent program coordination for the apple and pear Productivity, Irrigation, Pests and Soils program (PIPS3) (AP19007).