Pistachio production research program (PS22000)

What is it all about?

The research in this project will involve:

• Investigating the causes and techniques to manage juvenile dieback
• Understanding chill and optimising low-chill mitigation management with oil and polymer applications
• Investigating nut blanks and abortion and options for their management.
• Understanding and addressing sub-optimal productivity (yield) in young trees of the Kerman variety
• Strengthening information gathering on practices both locally and internationally to inform future research that addresses industry priorities
• Undertaking specific project outputs as determined by industry needs.

This project supports improvements in the cultivation of pistachios and the uptake of new and changing production practices through research, development and extension activities.

Continuing the work of the Pistachio productivity improvement program (PS17003), this project supports the role and activities of a pistachio researcher who, in conjunction with other research associates, is tasked with undertaking ongoing field research for pistachios.

Specific research goals of the program include:

• An in-depth review and gap analysis of domestic and international research relevant to pistachio production
• Investigating the causes and techniques to manage pre-juvenile shoot-death dieback
• Understanding chill accumulation and optimising low-chill mitigation management with oil and polymer applications
• Investigating nut blanks and abortion and options for their management
• Understanding and addressing sub-optimal productivity in young trees of the Kerman variety
• Other field observations, including pests and diseases
• Strengthening information gathering on practices both here and overseas to provide some guidance on the future direction of research
• Production and distribution of the ‘Chill Newsletter’
• Presentations at PIT groups
• Benchmarking and reporting quality and yield to participating growers
• Articles for the Australian Nutgrower Magazine and pistachio growers’ newsletter
• Publications in horticultural science journals and at conferences.