What was it all about?

This investment was tasked with continuing the evaluation of new macadamia varieties established in earlier industry breeding work. It maintained a number of trial sites in Queensland and New South Wales, collecting and analysing data annually to narrow down promising selections and work towards the release of new high-performing varieties for Australian macadamia growers.

Factors including yield, kernel quality and tree performance were measured, with more in-depth studies looked at tree susceptibility to insects and pathogens, abnormal vertical growth, kernel oil profiles and shelf life.

During 2017, the project released four new elite macadamia varieties:

• ‘Variety G’ (MIV1-G) – a large, precocious tree with high yields and kernel recovery of 40 per cent plus, suitable for the Bundaberg and Northern Rivers regions.
  
  
• ‘Variety J’ (MIV1-J) – a medium to large tree with large nuts and high kernel recovery of 44 per cent, more suited to the Bundaberg region.
  
  
• ‘Variety P’ (MIV1-P) – a small to medium, precocious tree suitable for high-density plantings, with a kernel recover in the high 30 per cent region. It’s more suitable to Bundaberg, but also produces heavy crops in New South Wales.
  
  
• ‘Variety R’ (MIV1-R) – a medium sized tree that crops well in northern New South Wales, with a kernel recovery of 37 per cent.

A further four promising varieties were also selected. At time of the investment wrapping up, they were awaiting commercialisation.

Throughout the project, information and updates were presented to growers during Regional Variety Trial field walks and through other levy-funded industry communication channels.

ACT NOW

To learn more about the macadamia varieties produced by this investment, including information on how to access them, head to the Macadamia Innovation website.

Fact sheets on the four varieties released from the project are available below:

• Variety G fact sheet
• Variety J fact sheet
• Variety P fact sheet
• Variety R fact sheet

A summary poster on the varieties is also available here.

You can also read about the 2017 Regional Variety Trial field walks and grower evaluation of the varieties on p27 of the winter 2017 edition of the levy-funded industry News Bulletin here.