Fall armyworm may opportunistically target avocado
While avocados aren’t the main target of the fall armyworm, it would seem the new pest might attack avocado trees if they happen to be near an area of high infestation, but researchers remain confident it will not be a significant issue for the Australian industry.
Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries researcher Dr Ian Newton says there has been one report of fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) in avocados on the Atherton Tablelands, in early 2021.
“However, we are pretty sure this is what we refer to as a ‘spill-over’ event,” Dr Newton says.
“The fall armyworm’s main host crop is corn (and perhaps some grasses/weeds), where it will breed-up in huge densities over the course of the growing season.
“Under these densities, other neighbouring crops will sometimes get attacked to some extent.”
The fall armyworm moth. The moth is 32-40mm from wing tip to wing tip, with a brown or grey forewing, and white hind wing. Males have more patterns with a distinct white spot on forewings. Image (wing spread): Robert J. Bauernfeind, Kansas State University, Bugwood.org. Image (wings closed): William Lambert, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org.
Dr Newton says the instance on the Atherton Tablelands involves an orchard “very close” to very heavily infested maize and Rhodes grass.
“We still believe the avocado is not a true host of fall armyworm, and that these “spill-over” cases are probably somewhat rare,” he says.
“On the Atherton Tablelands, we are seeing huge numbers of fall armyworm in corn/maize in areas where there are a lot of avocados in the general area, yet this is the only case of fall armyworm in avocados that has been reported.
“I think it’s unlikely to cause significant issues for avocado growers.”
Top tips for avocado growers
If fall armyworm does become established in your area and your orchard borders broadacre (especially corn or maize) or vegetable crops, the top tip is to continuously monitor, especially in the rows closest to the neighbouring crops.
However, keep in mind that the fall armyworm moth is capable of easily travelling large distances, so it isn’t only the exterior or your orchard that will need monitoring.
If you have grassed areas, these should also be monitored. Overseas, fall armyworm is known to attack Johnson grass, Rhodes grass, bent grasses, digit or finger grasses, couch grass, winter grass and panic grass. (More on pastures here.)
Apart from the larvae and moths, you are looking for leaf damage, including pinholes, windowing, and tattered leaf margins. For a full list (and video) visit this QDAF page.
Fall armyworm larvae. The close up shows the inverted “Y” on the head, used for identification. The larvae is a light green to brown in colour, with white lengthwise lines and dark spots with spines develop as larvae mature. There is a distinctive pattern of four spots on second to last body segment and an inverted “Y” shape pattern on its head. When newly hatched, they are about 1.7mm, eventually reaching a length of about 34mm. Image (whole caterpillar): Russ Ottens, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org. Image (close up): Steve L. Brown, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org.
Available treatment options
Hort Innovation, utilising grower levies from across horticulture, has worked with the other research and development corporations, the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority and chemical registrants on the response.
If it becomes necessary, you can download a permit for Chlorantraniliprole here. This minor use permit is for fall armyworm in avocados and blueberries.
Upcoming treatment options
Researchers are exploring two potential future treatment options, one a virus used successfully overseas and the other an Australian native fungus.
Dr Newton told the ABC he has been investigating the effectiveness of a naturally-occurring fungus that eats the grub from the inside out.
However, he warns it’s unlikely the pest will ever be eradicated completely.
“The fungus is not going to be a silver bullet but these biological options would be a good tool because they are very specific and only kill the pest, not the beneficial insects including the pollinators,” he told the ABC.
As for the virus product from overseas, Dr Newton told the ABC the Federal Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment had approved the importation of the biopesticide, Fawligen, a naturally occurring caterpillar virus that specifically targets fall armyworm.
“The product needs to be registered in Australia and, to do that, we need to prove that it works and is safe, so that is going to take some time.”
Research starting
On 22 March 2021, Hort Innovation announced it had funded a new project – Identifying potential parasitoids of the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, and the risk to Australian horticulture (MT19015). Researchers will examine potential parasitoids of fall armyworm and deliver extension materials to growers on how to effectively manage the pest. The research team will identify parasitoid species present in horticultural crops and provide recommendations on potential candidates for future biological control of fall armyworm, as well as local information on established locations, host range, infestation levels on horticultural crops and damage patterns.
Fall armyworm caterpillars eat more than 350 different plants, including corn, sugarcane, rice and many vegetable and fruit crops. (If you are interested in checking the full list, it’s available at CABI.) Crops can be ruined almost overnight without control measures when population levels are high.
It was first detected on the Torres Strait islands of Saibai and Erub in January 2020. Since then, it has been found in North and Central Queensland, the Northern Territory, New South Wales, and while it was first found in northern Western Australia, it has recently been found near Gingin (February 2021).
The eggs of the fall armyworm can be seen here on a cotton leaf. The eggs are a pale yellow, and less than 0.5mm in size. There are 100-200 eggs in a “mass” and this is covered in a pale mould-like furry substance. Image: Phillip Roberts, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org.
What should I do?
The Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries is the lead agency in the national response. If you think you’ve seen fall armyworm, call QDAF on 13 25 23. For more information, contact the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries on 13 25 23 or visit www.daf.qld.gov.au.
Western Australia
Visit the DPIRD Agriculture & Food page here. General enquiries or suspect reports can be made to PaDIS by calling +61 (0)8 9368 3080 or email padis@dpird.wa.gov.au. WA industry enquiries can be directed to Helen Spafford, Senior Research Scientist +61 (0)8 9166 4074.
New South Wales
Visit the NSW DPI page here. Report anything unusual to 1800 084 881.
The Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries is providing its North Queensland avocado dry matter maturity testing service again this season.
Sampling: Collect fruit sample on the morning of testing. Five fruit per sample. Each sample needs to be representative of the fruit intended for picking. Keep your fruit in a plastic bag or sealed container in a cool, dry place prior to delivery to DAF Mareeba.
Where: Drop samples to DAF Mareeba B Block, 28 Peters St. (Ph: 4017 0700) as soon as possible after picking, between 9am-12.30pm on Tuesdays only. Please use hand sanitiser provided on arrival to the building and always follow social distancing rules. Place fruit in a sample container and follow instructions from admin staff.
Cost: $25 per sample. Cash, cheque or EFTPOS payments are accepted. Invoices cannot be issued and we can no longer take credit card payment over the phone.
Results: Results are sent out the following afternoon.
This is the latest marketing activity that’s helping Aussie consumers connect with (and eat!) Australian avocados. The industry’s marketing is managed by Hort Innovation and funded by the avocado marketing levy. Hort Innovation develops consumer-focused promotions using a variety of mediums including social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, as well as targeted partnerships with consumer-related publications and platforms.
Keep scrolling to see more great marketing activity in 2021. (If you want to look back through 2020, click here.) And, if you are chasing some delicious avocado recipes, check out Australian Avocados.
PR – Place an avo on the Barbie (November/December 2021)
Hayden Quinn, an Australian chef best known for appearing on Series 3 of MasterChef Australia and as a judge on Nine Network cooking program Family Food Fight, has been appearing in print and online talking about placing an avocado on the barbecue. Stories have appeared in November in The Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, Courier Mail and NT News along with Nine media outlets. Australian avocados also featured on the TODAY Show on 24 November where avocados and their uses were the topic for discussion. Australian Avocados’ PR agency has been busy reaching out to targets across lifestyle, radio and food verticals with more coverage expected.
Fitzy & Wippa from Nova were spreading the good news about avocado working well on the barbie. They ran an Avo Mate competition in November and promoted it on their Instagram story. On air they played the “Our Green Gold” radio adverts (15 second and 30 second) and promoted avocados as they selected winners for the competition.
Our Green Gold Radio Commercial 15s
Our Green Gold Radio Commercial 30s
Avo Mate Comp Winner #1
Avo Mate Comp Winner #2
Avo Mate Comp Winner #3
Looking for the new ad?
Our Green Gold wins again! (7 September)
The Outdoor Media Association (OMA) has announced the winners in the quarter two Creative Collection competition for 2021. Our Green Gold won the Best Use of Multi-Format Campaign. Read more in Mediaweek.
We love our avo just as much as we love our green and gold. Congratulations to @AusAvos for taking out the win in the Best Use of Multi-Format in this quarter’s Creative Collection. Across the board, we loved this simple, striking nod to our home grown produce and our Olympians. pic.twitter.com/vTRIrwGx0j
Kate Ritchie shares her fave avocado recipes (1 September)
Nova’s Kate Ritchie has put together some of her favourite avo recipes, including sushi, an avocado and salmon poke bowl, and an avocado bruschetta. Read more at Nova.
Avocado a mood booster (26 August)
Green + Simple listed avocados as one of their top 5 mood boosting foods, in this recent article. Readers learnt that avocados help improve brain function and reduce fatigue.
Our Green Gold on Woolworths (18 August)
Our Green Gold is currently on show on the Woolworths website.
We’ve taken a quick screen video recording as well, so you can check it out regardless.
No squeezing please! (15 August)
Sydney dietitian Lyndi Cohen has revealed why you should never squeeze an avocado to check if it’s ripe, and the correct way to see if it’s ready to eat. Read more in the Daily Mail.
Lyndi also shared a great avo recipe, and you can check it out here:
The winner of the Seven Network’s $1 million contest to crown the best ad shown during the Olympics Games Tokyo 2020 has been announced.
Australian Avocados’ Our Green Gold campaign won gold with the public, who voted it as their favourite ad shown during Seven’s live, free and exclusive coverage of the world’s biggest sporting event of the decade.
Australian Avocados has won free placement in Seven’s biggest sporting and cultural moments of the next nine months, worth $1 million.
Australian Avocados’ Our Green Gold ad featuring comedian Nazeem Hussain has been shortlisted for Channel 7’s Favourite ad of the Olympics! Voting is now open at https://7plus.com.au/fav2020.
We encourage you to share widely – no connection is too distant to reach out and encourage voting! The time for action is now: we must av-a-go at winning the title, the supreme; THE PRESTIGE of the best ad of the Olympics.
Also, the winning ad will receive a $1 million advertising boost (extra avocado promotion!) and for voting, you will go into the draw for a $25,000 holiday. Did we mention you can vote once a day through to 9 August? *hint*
Celebrating National Avocado Day (31 July)
The face of Our Green Gold, comedian Nazeem Hussain, decided to add “celebrity chef” to his repertoire for National Avocado Day, showing his followers how to make an avocado egg salad. Click here to watch on Instagram.
Do your avocado-loving friends have the best avo hack you’ve ever seen?
Australian Avocados is on a mission to uncover the nation’s very best avocado hacks this National Avocado Day, Saturday, July 31. The reward? An entire year’s supply of avocados.
As Eativity reports, that’s 365 avocados just begging to be smashed, sliced or diced, and 9Honey is telling readers that given this country’s penchant for all things avocado, it’s safe to say there will be plenty of people vying for the opportunity to win such a haul.
The giveaway, is part of Australian Avocados’ “official unofficial” sponsorship of National Avocado Day on Saturday, 31 July, all part of the Our Green Gold campaign.
Share this with your friends (or everyone, everywhere) because all they have to do to be in the running is share their best avo hack on social media and tag the post with @AustralianAvocados on Instagram or Facebook. The winner will be announced on August 17.
Talking health in The Latch(16 July)
The Latch has teamed up with Australian Avocados to bring you the low down on all of the incredible health benefits that the nutrients in this delicious green gold fruit have to offer. The Latch is a Val Morgan Digital publication, focussing on wellness, lifestyle and entertainment content.
Early entries for the Metcash competition (13 July)
Consumers at IGA stores nationwide, and Foodland stores in South Australia, will be seeing the Our Green Gold messaging a lot this month, as part of an Australian Avocados-supported sales challenge with Metcash. The store teams are being encouraged to celebrate the avocado with great in-store displays, with prizemoney and a trophy on offer. Here’s some of the entries from the first week!
Check out our 6 July post (below) for more on the competition.
For the next month, consumers in IGA stores nationwide, and Foodland stores in South Australia, are being encouraged to up their avo game, with an Australian Avocados-supported sales challenge. IGA teams are being encouraged to celebrate the avocado with great in-store displays, with prizemoney and a trophy on offer. The stores have been provided with a point-of-sale kit, including posters, shelf tickets, and tear pads.
Retailers promoting Hass avocados (28 June)
Our Green Gold on the airwaves (June)
Here’s just a sample of the radio spots that have been playing on various stations across the country!
Panic buying extends to avocados in Sydney (25 June)
There’s plenty of #OurGreenGold for everyone, we promise!
Moments after the lockdown was announced, panic buying struck the avocado shelves.
Toilet paper aisles have also been stripped in Sydney supermarkets.
Blend it, dowse it in citrus, smoosh it between brioche, deep fry it, freeze it – we asked cafe and deli owners across the country what they’d do with cheap avo (other than smashing it on toast), Broadsheet Melbourne tells their readers.
Tasty recipe for avo lovers (13 June)
Toss away your stock-standard salad, this season Hunter and Bligh are dressing things up with Australian Avocados and this simple recipe: Avocado, Cucumber, Edamame and Soba Noodle Salad with a zesty peanut dressing.
This avocado season, Aussies are expected to be treated to an estimated 127 million hass avocados.
Homegrown, Australian hass avocados make for a great winter comfort food without the guilt – they’re fantastic as a substitute for dairy products and can be used in handfuls of easy to prepare recipes like pasta sauces, soups, pancakes and even desserts!
Click here to visit the Hunter and Bligh website, and get the recipe.
Eativity: Hass avos back in record numbers (27 May)
Homegrown Hass avocados have had a superb growing season, with an estimated 127 million Aussie Hass avos expected to hit our supermarket shelves in the next three months alone. And that’s just the beginning.
According to Australian Avocados, this year’s Hass crop is of excellent quality, with the huge supply offering great value for consumers – there are already multi-buy promotions available in many retail stores, including supermarkets and greengrocers.
John Tyas, CEO of Avocados Australia, says the quality and abundance of this season’s fruit is attributed to optimal growing conditions across most growing regions.
During his interview with Laurel, Gary & Mark on 4KQ, Nazeem revealed the surprising way Australian Avocados are helping support local bowls clubs! Listen to the interview here.
Our Green Gold in the Aldi catalogue (21 May)
Australian avocado growers Simpson Farms feature in the catalogue for Aldi stores in NSW, the ACT, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia (on sale 22 May), and so does Our Green Gold.
The mural takeover in Kings Cross has happened. Avocados Australia Director Daryl Boardman was sent this image from an excited avocado fan in Sydney this week.
Freshen up your Zoom background! (6 May)
Are you loving the Our Green Gold campaign? Well, now you can share the campaign on your Zoom or Teams calls, with this custom background from the Australian Avocados crew! (Haven’t seen the new ad yet? Scroll down my friends!)
May marks the launch of the new brand positioning and messaging for Australian Avocados
This strategy has been developed from the overarching Avocado category strategy and through consultation with Australian Avocado SIAP
The launch campaign includes a traditional media mix designed to drive mass awareness of the new creative with the overarching objective of driving demand for the category
The hero talent in the TVC is well-known comedian Nazeem Hussain
PR where we Officially, Unofficially sponsor of one of the oldest bowlos in the country
The initial burst of activity is scheduled for May-June 2021 in line with the highest volume supply forecast
Australian Avocados brand campaign
Objective: To develop a campaign that emotionally connects with Australian consumers by leveraging the inherent love people have for avocados. By building brand love, we will help drive preference of Australian Avocados, grow unaided brand recall (awareness) and drive consideration, which will contribute to increasing the frequency of purchase. All of which are important when faced with a volume uplift of 30% YOY.
The integrated campaign will feature activity across television, out-of-home advertising, social media (Facebook & Instagram), digital advertising, and public relations, and will run until the end of June 2021.
The case for change
Whilst the Australian Avocados ‘Smash an Avo’ campaign has driven awareness of functional benefits (such as use and versatility), it is a creative articulation that somewhat limits distinctiveness, brand building and ongoing relevance.
Creative inspiration
They may not have been born in Australia, but we’ve made avocados our own.
They’re everywhere. At our cafés, our dinner parties, our restaurants and our taco trucks.
In fact, they’re so universal, they’ve almost become invisible. And we’ve forgotten how precious they are. Every mouthful is a premium. Every slice is golden. Every cube is a little treasure. To be artfully arranged in our sushi. Masterfully mashed on our toast. And divvied up democratically. (Or else.)
Isn’t it time that we reminded Australians of how much we love them?
That we celebrated their iconic status? They’re our national treasure.
Our Green Gold.
Creative idea
It’s green, it’s gold. It’s a national treasure. In order to celebrate the iconic status of the Avocado and elevate it beyond the plate and into culture. Let’s give the Avocado its rightful place. Officially… but actually unofficially.
Check out the 30-second and 15-second spots
Want to take a walk through the creative pitch? Click here to have a look!
Here’s what’s planned for outdoor and digital advertising
Mural take-over in Kings Cross, Sydney
PR campaign
The PR activity will see Australian Avocados ‘officially unofficially’ sponsor small community and/or sporting groups. In order to create a strong earned media moment and provide a springboard for our national call out for sponsorship, we will engage with one Australian green and gold institution to kick things off and bring the essence of the campaign to life.
By engaging with one community group/ team, we are providing an example of what an ‘official unofficial’ sponsorship looks like. Media are in need of an example to provide the call to action for involvement with context.
We have chosen a bowlo as it is an Aussie icon and the heart of many communities, which makes it a beacon for the types of small community and or sporting groups we are looking to receive sponsorship requests from.
The Bowlo we have chosen (Balmain bowling club) is based in Sydney but has great history in that it is the oldest in NSW. As the oldest Bowlo in NSW we are bolstering the angle of engaging with true Aussie institutions further. The club has also been hit by hard times in this past year, nearly closing its doors permanently following Covid closures.
Social
Program Objective: Having an online presence on any of our social media forums like Facebook or Instagram is a great way to interact with our audience and to really connect with them on a personal level.
Our content pillars have evolved based on the new campaign. These are:
Sponsors of Green Gold – Content that amplifies our platform and motivates community participation to build an emotional connection
Mastering Green Gold – Content that educates people about Australian avocados and their health & wellbeing benefits
Green Gold moments – Food and recipe content that inspires people to choose & use Australian Avocados more frequently
IGA merchandising competition: Go for Green Gold
In addition to this activity, to support the brand campaign from an in-store and consumer experience point of view, a merchandising competition across 1,400 IGA stores will run from 7th July for the period of 4 weeks. The activation will encourage IGA stores to create amazing displays in order to win a green gold avocado trophy.
Three new recipes on the Australian Avocados’ website (April)
The three new Luke Hines recipes showcase the season’s Shepard avocados.
Often the victim of ire and disdain online, the Shepard avocado gets a bad rap for its eternally green appearance and firmer flesh, but it turns out they’re just misunderstood, foodie Luke Hines tells Body+Soul.
It’s Shepard season in Woolworths (23 March)
Australian Avocados is continuing its 2021 Shepard promotion, working with Woolworths on this digital screen.
Leveraging MAFS! (19 March)
A participant in the extremely popular Married at First Sight, used this classic line in an episode aired on 17 March, 2021. What can we say, Beck Zemek, we couldn’t agree more.
It was an opportunity too good to miss, when Married at First Sight star Beck Zemek used the classic line “you’re not an avocado, not everyone likes you” when talking to another participant in an episode first aired on 17 March 2021.
Australian Avocados immediately took the opportunity to be involved in the conversation, commenting on the quote on the MAFS social media, and developing the above meme. (Click here to download, if you want to use it yourself.)
Woolworths promotes Shepard (4 March)
This month, Woolworths’ Shepard promotions have leveraged levy-funded content, as a result of retailer engagement work carried out by Avocados Australia Market Development Manager Hayleigh Dawson, in partnership with Hort Innovation.
“They need all the love they can get,” says cookbook author and shameless team Shepard devotee, Luke Hines. “Australia is the only place in the world where you can get a Shepard, and they’re only around for a couple of months. They should be celebrated.”
The teams at Australian Avocados and Avocados Australia have been getting the word out that plenty of delicious Shepard avocados are on their way to retail shelves. This piece ran on 7NEWS Brisbane news bulletin on Saturday, 27 February, and featured a range of growers.
Aldi promotes Shepard (24 February 2021)
Aldi’s special buys catalogue for the week of 24 February featured Australian Shepard avocados.
Shepard promotions are here! (22 February 2021)
Australian Avocados has started its Shepard seasons promotions with posts on Facebook and Instagram to help consumers tell when the greenskins are ripe. Activities to promote Shepards this season will include promotional panels near the point of purchase, radio spots, a PR campaign and more.
You can view the full Shepard marketing plan from Australian Avocados in the BPR Library (you will need to log in to view this report). The BPR is an online one-stop-shop focusing on best practice to improve the quality of avocados provided to consumers. Avocados Australia welcomes new applications for the Best Practice Resource from all businesses that are part of the Australian avocado industry.
Chinese New Year is just around the corner, and Australian Avocados is using its social media channels to provide some recipe inspiration for the celebrations. Check out this Yu Sheng salad on Facebook.
Chinese New Year is around the corner! From Feb 12th it will be the year of the Ox and we think this colourful Yu Sheng…
The Australian Avocados shopping centre promotions have been spotted in the wild by Avocados Australia staff today. This shot is of an electronic advertising board in the Maroochydore Sunshine Plaza, in Queensland. This sign is above the escalators moving between floors.
Dessert with Adam Liaw (20 January 2021)
Celebrity chef Adam Liaw is encouraging our avo loving consumers to step up their dessert game with his avocado, lime and macadamia pie. There’s even a blow torch involved! Check out the video and recipe here.
Chef Adam Liaw’s avocado, lime and macadamia meringue pie
New video with Adam Liaw (13 January 2021)
A partnership with well-known television presenter, author and cook Adam Liaw will help provide inspiration and drive preference for Australian avocados, through engaging content. Adam is producing six video recipes, including an avocado seaweed salad with sesame and onion dressing. Adam, who specialises in Asian home cooking, has 230,000 followers on Instagram and is a regular columnist for goodfood, Sunday Life and the Guardian Australia.
Adam Liaw prepares an avocado seaweed salad for Australian Avocados
Australian Avocados has an “always on” approach to social media. In the current marketing plan, the goal is to drive preference for Australian Avocados through communicating the value of buying local. The various posts on Facebook and Instagram aim to:
inspire new avocado occasions
educate Australians on how to choose and use avocados
Call for expressions of interest to join the new AS18000 crop advisory group
The Australian National Tree Crop Intensification in Horticulture project (AS18000) has officially started. The overall long-term goal of the project is to increase productivity and profitability of five tree crops grown in Australia, including avocados, by developing and demonstrating intensive production systems. The other tree crops included are almond, mango, citrus, and macadamia.
The avocado project team is currently requesting expressions of interest from growers who would like to become additional members of the new Crop Reference Group. This group will meet twice a year and provide valuable grower insight, direction and feedback on the practical management issues of the trial and its progress.
If you are interested in joining the avocado crop reference group, please submit your expression of interest to bridie.carr@daf.qld.gov.au (0436 675 740) or john.wilkie@daf.qld.gov.au (0402 390 885) by Friday, 20 November.
Hort Innovation have prepared a ‘terms of reference’ document which can be accessed here for more information.
Acknowledgement
The National Tree Crop Intensification in Horticulture project (avocado, macadamia and mango) (AS18000) is funded by the Hort Frontiers Advanced Production Systems, part of the Hort Frontiers strategic partnership initiative developed by Hort Innovation, with co-investment from the Queensland Department of Agriculture (DAF), The Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), The University of Queensland (UQ), the Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and contributions from the Australian Government.
The International Freight Assistance Mechanism (IFAM) continues to be a targeted, temporary emergency measure and businesses should use this time to adjust to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the International Air Transport Association reporting that air travel is unlikely to return to pre-COVID conditions until 2024, it is more important than ever that Australian businesses in all states and territories review their operating models.
International Freight Co-Ordinator General, Michael Byrne, suggests businesses should consider the following:
Aggregate and consolidate – While it may seem counterintuitive under normal conditions, with COVID-19 still impacting flights, businesses need to work together with other exporters and freight forwarders to consolidate loads. By doing so, businesses may be able to access lower rates for loading, packing, warehousing and transport.
Deal in facts – Build an understanding of the realities of the situation. For example, you can’t land very large planes in Hobart (due to restrictions around capacity of tarmac, loading, apron), so chartering a large plane to Hobart to move Tasmanian produce internationally is not likely. Consider new options for how you could get your goods where they need to go. IFAM is always open to hearing your ideas but be realistic about what can be achieved.
Plan – Businesses must do extensive planning now more than ever. With flight numbers down approximately 75% from last year and freight capacity filling up weeks in advance, it is no longer feasible to book freight on the same day you’re intending to ship. Businesses need to be forward planning their freight movements and business operations.
Adjust and evolve – Use this time to adjust, look at the structure of your business, your product and your supply chains. For example, are there insufficiencies in your supply chain? Can you re-negotiate third-party contracts? Change your packaging? Export by sea rather than air? Use this breathing space to plan for your long-term financial profitability.
IFAM is working across all levels of government to provide information on support options to help businesses modify supply chains and explore other freight solutions.
For more information on business support options, visit business.gov.au.
This article was provided for the Guacamole of 13 November 2020.
Are you chasing information on growing an avocado tree in your backyard, or caring for a tree you already have?
As the administrative office for the commercial avocado industry in Australia, we are limited in being able to provide advice for backyard growing.
Our best recommendation in all circumstances is to make contact with a tropical fruit specialist/nursery in your area that may be able to provide some tips and advice that are best suited to your local situation. However, we have collated some useful public resources that might help.
(Hot tip if you are new commercial grower – head over to the Best Practice Resource and register for access.)
Have you been inspired by @leafy.lane (AKA Brad Canning) on Instagram to grow your own avocado tree indoors for fun? You can find his avo growing videos on YouTube:
Brad’s Insta story is here (link may expire…check the YouTube videos below!)
Please note, if you are growing your avocado tree in a pot (particularly indoors) it may never produce fruit. These articles may be of some assistance:
if you are in Western Australia, read this article from the Albany Advertiser
trying your hand at avo growing in Tasmania? One of our commercial growers provided some handy tips for backyard growers in this article and you read more in the Tasmanian Times too
and if you are in the Canberra or similarly cold area, check out this article from the Canberra Times: click here.
In Australia, most commercial avocado trees are Hass, followed by Shepard. There are a large number of other varieties present in Australia, but they make up only a small portion of the national orchard.
It can be quite hard to determine variety, as this may not have even been known at the time of planting if you’ve got your seed or plant from a friend. If planted from seed, there is a chance the seed was from a cross-pollinated fruit (eg Hass and Fuerte).
However, if you have the tree, there is a handy Avocado Variety Identifier online here – that includes images of the leaves, fruit and seed for the main varieties. You should be able to narrow it down with all three to hand. There are also other resources here, again more aimed at commercial growers, which might help you care for your tree.
This US resource (from the University of California) has a broader range of varieties: click here.
This video from the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries is aimed at commercial producers, but might provide a starting point for your backyard planting: click here. QDAF also has a useful page of tips online here.
Avocados are an interesting tree, and the various varieties are either Type A or Type B. While avocado trees can self-pollinate, the avocado flower opens in two stages with the male and female flower parts opening at different times of the day, depending on if they are Type A or Type B. If your tree is flowering but you aren’t getting fruit on your backyard tree, you may need a second tree of the alternate type. Check the Avocado Variety Identifier online here.
Your options for canopy management can range from a light pruning, all the way through to staghorning (that is, cutting the trees back to a stump!). Knowing what is best for your tree and when it should happen requires advice from a local expert. You should also ask them about post-pruning care, to ensure your tree has many more productive years ahead.
You can find some general information here:
NSW DPI click here (PDF link – this is a resource for commercial growers, your circumstances as a home grower will vary)
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden click here (note: this is a US video).
Avocado trees can be troubled by a number of pests and diseases, and also require good nutrition and irrigation. You can find a range of information to help online here.
A significant issue for avocados in Australia (and elsewhere) is Phytophthora root rot. This blog post from the University of California will help you with identification: click here.
Avocados don’t actually ripen until they are picked. Commercial growers carry out a dry matter test to help them determine when to harvest. However, for you as a backyard grower, we suggest picking an avocado and letting it ripen on the bench. If it has a good texture and decent flavour, you are right to go.
In our annual Facts at a Glance, we include a chart of supply periods by region. This may help you narrow down your own harvest window, if your tree is in one of our eight growing regions. Click here for the most recent edition.
Severe panicle blight, or inflorescence dieback, occurred in blocks in the Bundaberg/Childers growing region during the 2019 flowering. This dieback of inflorescences has been observed in previous years, but was apparently much more severe in 2019. There was no fruit harvested from some of the worst affected blocks, and yields in other blocks were greatly reduced.
Figure 1. Image: grower/agronomist.
What is it? What does it look like?
Figure 2
The photos show the typical symptoms of panicle blight. The flower shoot is sometimes wilted, and flowers turn brown and necrotic with the dieback clearly extending down the panicle (Figures 1-3). The vegetative shoots of indeterminate inflorescences also wilt and die. The dieback is often arrested at the node (Figure 2), but occasionally extends further down the branch.
The skeleton of the inflorescence remains in the canopy until it is pruned out (Figures 4 and 5).
Figure 6
When dieback occurs in the early stages of flowering, inflorescence elongation is prevented and a “witches broom” type symptom is observed (Figure 6).
Shoot blight affecting newly planted trees (Figures 7 and 8) was also common in the region last year.
Figure 7. Image: Chad Simpson, EE Muir.Figure 8
Is it new?
No, we don’t think it is due to some new or exotic pathogen that would be of biosecurity concern. It has been seen in previous years, and we also saw it in orchards in New South Wales, Western Australia and New Zealand, so there is probably some degree of panicle blight in most, maybe all, orchards across all growing regions.
What causes it?
We’d be very happy to hear your ideas on the cause, if you are familiar with it in your orchards!
Anecdotal evidence from colleagues in other countries (Israel, California, South Africa) say it is caused by “Dothiorella”, (the old name for fungi in the Botryosphaeriaceae family, which also cause stem end rot), and associated with tree stress, eg drought. There are similar problems in other crops such as macadamia, pistachio, mango and lychee.
We collected several samples ourselves from the field, and growers and agronomists also sent us symptomatic tissues. We carefully selected tissues, surface-sterilised to remove any microbes which colonised decaying tissue (secondary colonisers), and plated small pieces of tissue onto selective media in Petri dishes.
We monitored growth of fungi and identified several genera. These included Alternaria, Cladosporium, Colletotrichum, Fusarium, Pestalotiopsis, Diaporthe, Botryosphaeria (eg “Dothiorella”). The fungi we have isolated are the “usual suspects”, that is, those commonly associated with avocado fruit stem-end rot, and those reported to cause similar flower dieback symptoms in macadamia, pistachio, mango and lychee.
There is no doubt that conditions leading into the 2019 flowering in Central Queensland were challenging, despite orchard irrigation. A couple of years of drought, poor quality irrigation water (chloride levels in excess of 80mg/L), and low rainfall totals in July (9.6mm), August (14.2mm) and September (3.8mm), most likely exacerbated the problem. (You can read more about acceptable soil chloride levels for avocados on page 17 of the Winter 2018 edition of Talking Avocados – PDF here, a catalogue of our back issues here.)
What are we doing about it?
We have included additional research activity in Improving avocado orchard productivity through disease management (AV16007) to investigate the issue.
We will continue to receive samples from 2020 flowering to build our database of distribution and associated fungi.
Pathogenicity testing in the glasshouse involves spraying fungi onto flowers and attempting to replicate the dieback symptoms in order to demonstrate conclusively that a particular fungus causes the disease. More than one fungus may be involved.
We have communicated with the major agrichemical companies and have screened several conventional fungicides and “biofungicides” not currently registered in avocado, for their ability to inhibit growth of selected fungi. This was done in the laboratory, and involved some 2000+ Petri dishes.
From these in vitro tests, four fungicides were selected for trialling in the field. Two trials have been established in Hass orchards at Childers and Bundaberg, and first sprays have been applied during early flowering. There will be a second spray at about mid-bloom, followed by standard copper program. The new treatments will likely be applied again later in the season when conditions have been conducive to infection of fruit (rainy periods).
We will be assessing the trees in the field trial for crop safety (phytotoxicity), panicle blight incidence and severity, fruit set/retention, final yield and post-harvest anthracnose and stem-end rot.
What can you do about it?
If you see it, please send some pictures in an email (e.dann@uq.edu.au), and we may ask you to send us some samples. Early infection stages, when there is still some green/healthy tissue in the inflorescence, is best, not the later skeletal stage.
We would like to know how widely distributed it is, and do further isolations onto selective media to see what fungi or other microbes may be associated. Your information will be treated as confidential and we will not identify blocks or orchards unless you give us permission.
As for management strategy, it is safest to prune out the branches with the dieback. This removes the source of inoculum, assuming that fungi are involved. The fungi can survive on dead branches, skeletal panicles and mummified fruit within the canopy and produce spores which can then spread to flowers and developing fruit in rainy weather, initiating new infections. Maintain optimum tree health at all times by good agronomic and Phytophthora root rot management.
Acknowledgement
The Improving avocado orchard productivity through disease management (AV16007) project is funded by Hort Innovation, using the avocado research and development levy, and contributions from the Australian Government.
This article was produced for the Guacamole of 18 September 2020 and the Spring 2020 edition of Talking Avocados.
Did you know that the interaction of light and temperature around flowering could influence your fruit set and yield?
What if you could use weather data to help make a yield prediction?
QAAFI’s Anthony Van Herwaarden wants the opportunity to test this theory in the avocado industry and is seeking growers who are interested to put their hand up.
Grower’s commitment – providing consecutive years of yield data, an indication of flowering time, preferably irrigated, but reliable rainfall is okay, and some standard orchard practice information. All data provided by growers will remain confidential and a confidentiality agreement can be entered into if desired.
In return for sharing this information, participants will be provided with a summary of the findings from their farm, highlighting regional differences.
Your participation in this process is very much appreciated and will make the outcomes of this Hort Innovation avocado levy-funded project practical and relevant.
The project Carbohydrate monitoring to predict yield and understanding fruit set (AV19006) is examining the methods and tools needed to monitor carbohydrate status in avocado orchards, as a way of predicting yield and understanding fruit set. It is led by the CSIRO in co-operation with the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI). QAAFI is an alliance between The University of Queensland and the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries
More information
Contact QAAFI’s Dr Anthony van Herwaarden on 0438 983 227 or Liz Singh, Avocados Australia Industry Development Manager, on 0499 854 111 (Mon-Thurs 9am-3pm).
Acknowledgement
The Carbohydrate monitoring to predict yield and understanding fruit set (AV19006) project is funded by Hort Innovation, using the avocado research and development levy, and contributions from the Australian Government.
This article was prepared for the Guacamole of 18 September 2020.
The first commercial planting of 600 Hass trees grafted to a new rootstock selected and evaluated in Australia, occurred near Childers in the Central Queensland growing region in July 2020.
The rootstock was recovered and clonally propagated from a surviving Hass tree in an avocado orchard at South Kolan, Queensland. Surrounding trees had succumbed to Phytophthora root rot. Identified as ‘SHSR-04’ for evaluation purposes, it proved to have a high level of resistance to Phytophthora root rot, in repeated trials conducted between 2006 and 2015 under high disease pressure (Smith et al, 2011).
Rootstock trial at Duranbah, New South Wales, demonstrating healthy Hass on the SHSR-04 rootstock (left) among declining trees on other rootstocks. The site had a very high Phytophthora cinnamomi disease pressure, and was known by the research teams as the “Killing Fields” since most rootstocks had succumbed to Phytophthora within two years.
At Childers, the trees on SHSR-04 have been planted alongside rows of Hass grafted to Dusa, Velvick and other rootstocks, and the owner has generously agreed to provide access and assistance with the collection of comparative performance data. Tree health and growth rates across the block will be monitored along with the collection of yield and fruit size data. The site is a replant block in a commercial orchard, where 30-year-old trees had significantly declined from Phytophthora root rot.
The site will also test the tolerance of the new rootstock to high chloride concentrations in irrigation water. To retain Phytophthora resistance, SHSR-04 is produced as a cloned rootstock since its seedlings were shown to have no significant resistance when grafted to Hass. The new rootstock does not have complete resistance to Phytophthora cinnamomi, but will be a key component to establishing and maintaining healthy, productive orchards. Remember the Pegg Wheel for integrated management of Phytophthora root rot! (You can find the Pegg Wheel on the Manage Phytophthora root rot poster in the Education Materials area of the BPR Library, or in the Growing section here.)
The Intellectual Property owners of SHSR-04 (George H. Green, Horticulture Innovation Australia Ltd and Sunshine Horticultural Services Pty Ltd) have secured protection under Plant Breeders Rights and are progressing the commercialisation of SHSR-04 to provide broad access for Australian avocado growers. Propagation licenses have been signed with two ANVAS nurseries, Anderson Horticulture Pty Ltd at Duranbah, New South Wales and Turkinje Nursery at Walkamin, North Queensland. Licensing negotiations are continuing with other ANVAS nurseries.
The IP owners have also applied for a US Patent for the rootstock and are considering other opportunities for international licensing. The latter is believed necessary since past experiences have shown that unauthorised transfer of elite plant material across international borders will occur if IP protection has not been taken out. A Trade Mark (rootstock name) has had preliminary approval, with final approval expected to be granted in November 2020 and the name announced in a subsequent publication.
More information
Dr Anthony Whiley and Dr Elizabeth Dann are preparing a detailed article about the new rootstock for the Summer edition of Talking Avocados (out in early 2021). Watch this space!
You can also find the final reports for AV07000, AV08000 and AV10001 in the R&D Reports area of the BPR Library, and read more about the various projects via Hort Innovation (AV07000, AV08000, AV10001 and AV15005).
References
Smith, L. A., Dann, E. K., Pegg, K. G., Whiley, A. W., Giblin, F. R., Doogan, V. and Koppitke, R. (2011). Field assessment of avocado rootstock selections for resistance to Phytophthora root rot, Australasian Plant Pathology, 40:39-47. (Read the article here.)
Pegg, K. G., Dann, E. K., Coates, L., Whiley, A. W. (2008). Phytophthora resistance in rootstocks, Talking Avocados, 19 (2):23-25. (Read the magazine here.)
Acknowledgement
The research leading to this result was funded by the Horticulture Australia Limited (HAL) project Rootstock improvement for the Australian avocado industry – phase 3 (AV08000), that recovered and clonally propagated the rootstock in collaboration with George Green and Sunshine Horticultural Services. (As IP owners, George Green and Sunshine Horticultural Services provided resources supporting the development of the rootstock, including recovering the original rootstock and subsequent propagation of the rootstock allowing it to be field tested.) The HAL/Hort Innovation funded projects Improving yield and quality in avocado through disease management (AV07000 and AV10001) carried out field evaluations of Phytophthora root rot resistance.
The Avocado rootstock SHSR-04 commercialisation (AV15005) project was funded by Hort Innovation, using the avocado research and development levy, and contributions from the Australian Government. Its main role was to assist with securing the Intellectual Property vested in the rootstock and negotiating commercialisation agreements with nurseries in collaboration with the other parties with IP ownership.
This article was produced for the Guacamole of 18 September 2020 and the Spring 2020 edition of Talking Avocados.
Australian avocado production and consumption continues to climb year on year, but what does this mean for stakeholders? For a fresh produce category to grow, consumers need confidence and positive experiences of fruit purchases that meet their expectations.
Fruit quality is one of the biggest issues currently facing the avocado industry. Domestic consumption of avocados needs to increase significantly during the next four to five years. Why? To meet increasing supply based on current plantings.
At the same time, imports of avocados has been increasing and Chile now has access to the Australian market. Customer satisfaction with Australian avocados is therefore critical to increase sales.
Surveys of avocado quality undertaken by Avocados Australia from 2011 to 2015 found 20-25% of fruit in stores had unacceptable levels of bruising, internal rots, or other disorders. Poor fruit quality reduces consumer satisfaction and sales. The avocado industry continues investing to improve fruit quality, and this project will help measure the effectiveness of those investments.
During the next three years, Applied Horticultural Research (AHR) will be funded via the Hort Innovation Avocado Fund to measure avocado fruit quality nationally at supermarkets, independent fruit stores, and speciality retailers.
What to expect from the project
Regular assessments are planned for retailers in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide (at the same stores each time to reduce variability). The timing of the sample collections will be staggered so that the industry receives feedback from at least one location nearly every week throughout the year, capturing change of supply regions.
Hass and Shepard avocados will be purchased from retail displays, as presented to consumers. The quality of store displays will be assessed, and fruit supplier details, including pack-date will be recorded. Fruit samples will then be returned to the laboratory for assessment of firmness, dry matter, bruising, rots and other internal defects.
Wherever possible, sampling will include as many different packhouses as can be sourced from the targeted retailers on each sampling event.
Stakeholder benefits
Rapid feedback to growers, packers, retailers and marketing groups will provide real-time reports on fruit quality at retail. This continuous feedback mechanism will enable problems to be addressed to help improve the quality of avocados.
Reports will be tailored to specific stakeholder groups, and where possible, results will be confidentially benchmarked against other suppliers, growers and retailers, providing a ranking for the season.
The project will provide an objective measure of how well the industry is tracking on their mission to improve the consumer eating experience of avocados.
Where to find results
Sampling will commence once COVID-19 related restrictions are lifted, and non-essential work activities can resume.
Regular communication and updates with de-identified results will appear via the Avocados Australia website. Keep an eye out for ongoing findings from the project in Talking Avocados magazine, as well as Guacamole newsletter.
Confidential reports will be emailed to specific stakeholder groups.
AHR will participate in extension field days and industry events, presenting findings with a strong focus on specific regional issues.
The Monitoring avocado quality in retail (AV19003) project has been funded by Hort Innovation, using the avocado research and development levy, and contributions from the Australian Government.
This article was prepared for the Autumn 2020 edition of Talking Avocados.
