What was it all about?

Market access is crucial for the long-term profitability and sustainability of the Australian avocado industry. There is an increasing supply of avocados within Australia which necessitate increasing export opportunities for Australian avocados. However, these new export opportunities can be limited by phytosanitary quarantine barriers which require end-point treatments to ensure control of quarantine pests (e.g. Queensland fruit fly).

Methyl bromide treatment is a widely used market access treatment for many Australian horticultural crops and is widely used and accepted around the world. However, the effects of methyl bromide treatment on avocado fruit quality have shown inconsistent results. 

The project assessed the effects of two commercial methyl bromide treatment schedules on fruit quality of both Shepard and Hass avocados for a total of three different fruit tolerance trials. Within each trial, the project explored whether pre-treatment practices such as avoiding cold storage prior to treatment can improve or affect final fruit quality outcomes. Standard fruit quality assessments after treatment and storage with shelf life were assessed. 
The results showed minor differences in fruit quality between treated and untreated fruit after fumigation and after storage. However, these small differences were considered to have little to no commercial impact. 

This project was crucial for updating industry knowledge and guiding quality management practices across both domestic and export supply chains. Improved market access and increased diversification of export markets will increase growers’ profitability.

The fruit required to deliver this research was funded through a separate project, Avocado purchase for methyl bromide fumigation on avocado quality (AV25011).