What was it all about?

This project had a focus on improving the quality of soil and plant nutrition advice for the industry, through the education of macadamia industry consultants and advisors. It involved the investigation of current literature on and approaches to soil health and macadamia nutrition, and the development of guidelines and protocols involving soil sampling, soil analysis, and nutrition timing, amounts and frequency.

The information was presented at the Annual Macadamia Consultants Workshop in Brisbane in 2016, and at a series of regional workshops that took place during April and May 2017, from Bundaberg in Queensland to Macksville in New South Wales.

The upskilling of consultants and advisors has provided…

• Greater understanding of soil nutrient variability
• Greater understanding of plant nutrient requirements as measured in foliar analyses versus perceived optimum nutrient balances in soils
• Options for more consistent and accurate sampling for soil and foliar analyses
• Anecdotal reports of greater nut set in response to the use of boron sprays at flowering to trees with low to marginal boron levels
• Realisation of differences between routine laboratory soil analyses and those required for low-pH soils.

ACT NOW

For growers, the key message is to work with your consultant to put an effective integrated orchard nutrition program in place to increase production and profitability. A list of industry consultants is searchable on the AMS website here.