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Hort Innovation

Hort Innovation is the grower-owned, not-for-profit research and development corporation for Australia's horticulture industry.

As one of the nation's 15 Rural Research and Development Corporations, we're tasked with investing horticulture levies and Australian Government contributions into initiatives to help the industry be as productive and profitable as possible.

In addition to the levy-focused investment activities that are our core work, Hort Innovation also forges partnerships with a broad range of co-investors to deliver investments through our Hort Frontiers arm. Hort Frontiers was established by Hort Innovation to address a range of long-term and complex issues that are critical to the future of Australian horticulture.

Related Stories

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Adrian Englefield standing in a vineyard smiling at the camera with an ipad in hand
Case Study

Enablers of change: A day in the life of a Regional Extension Manager

Growing up on a vineyard fuelled Adrian Englefield’s love of the land and the agriculture industry. Now as a Regional Extension Manager for Hort Innovation, Adrian gets to help the next generation embrace ideas and harness opportunities, which support a thriving sector and sustainable workforce. 

Close up image of Avocados growing on a tree
Innovation

World-first yield forecasting technology offers avocado growers 93% accuracy

The University of New England has developed an app that makes it easier for avocado growers to forecast yields – and with greater accuracy. UNE’s CropCount team is now looking for partners to help scale CropCount to bring this advantage to other tree crop producers.

  • Funded by
    Hort Innovation
  • Led by
    University of New England (UNE)
Mango trees with fruit on branches
Picking

Multi-armed mango auto-harvester set to speed up picking by 90%

As it gets increasingly difficult to find reliable labour to pick acid-spurting mangoes in the tropical heat, a world-first automated harvester developed by Central Queensland University’s Fruitronics team and Hort Innovation, are now seeking commercial partnership from an agricultural equipment manufacturer.

  • Led by
    Hort Innovation
  • In collaboration with
    Central Queensland University (CQU)
Horticulture

Innovation in horticulture to benefit people, plants and the planet

The future of innovation in horticulture is bright and will underpin the production of produce that is good for Australia and the world. 

 

Hort Innovation’s Head of R&D Byron de Kock said, “We strive for balance across our Research, Development and Extension program that represents more than $400 million of investment. At one end of the spectrum, we strive to transform and revolutionise through initiatives in biotechnology and robotics. At the other end, we seek to protect current production through biosecurity, crop protection, pest and disease control investments.”

  • Led by
    Hort Innovation
  • Featuring
    Byron De Kock, Hort Innovation, Head of R&D
Square-foot containers with multiple of hydroponically grown leafy greens
Urban farming

Bringing high tech horticulture to urban areas in Australia – rooftop, underground and floating farms

Hort Innovation is working with a consortium, led by agricultural consultancy RMCG in partnership with University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and global urban agriculture consultancy Agritecture, to assess the potential of emerging production technology and its application in the Australian urban landscape as part of a six-month project. 

 

The benefits to growers and Australia by use of technology such as vertical farm systems and hydroponics is food production and delivery systems that have the potential to redefine horticulture by optimising yield, quality, and supply.

  • Led by
    Hort Innovation
Close up image of Macadamia Nuts some cracked out their shell
Genomics

Tree genomics program sequences 300 macadamia varieties to improve productivity and profitability for growers

The National Tree Genomics program is in the final stages of sequencing over 300 macadamia wild and cultivated varieties.

 

The national program harnesses cutting-edge genetic technologies for the benefit of Australian horticultural tree crop industries. New tools are currently being developed that will equip Australian plant breeders to deliver new varieties with key productivity and profitability traits. New tools will also stem from this program for growers to enhance farm productivity.

  • Led by
    Hort Innovation
Strawberries growing on a vine
New varieties

Strawberry breeding program delights tastebuds

Every strawberry season, researchers from the Australian Strawberry Breeding Program trial, taste and assess thousands of new varieties of strawberry developed through natural breeding to identify the best tasting and yielding fruit for Australia.

 

Funded by Hort Innovation in partnership with the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, the program supports the Australian strawberry industry by giving them access to improved, locally adapted superior varieties.   

  • Led by
    Hort Innovation

Related Opportunities

Browse all opportunities
Logo for Hort Innovation: Precision summer fruit orchards – research partnership
Fruits

Hort Innovation: Precision summer fruit orchards – research partnership

Opportunity for

  • Researchers, entrepreneurs, startup/scaleup, SME, corporates with expertise in applied research with perennial fruit crop industries and translating agritech into profitable grower practice.
  • Led by

    Hort Innovation

  • Opportunity type

    Research partner

  • Express interest by

    Friday, 29 September 2023 15:00 AEST

Logo for Hort Innovation: Mango auto harvester
Fruits

Hort Innovation: Mango auto harvester

Opportunity for

  • Machinery manufacturing and distribution companies interested in new products and services
  • Agronomy service companies interested in new products and services
  • Led by

    Hort Innovation

  • Opportunity type

    Licensing, Research partner, Field trial, Seeking partners

  • Readiness
    Mid (TRL 5-7)
    Proof of concept in the laboratory then in the field resulting in the development of a minimum viable product (MVP).

Research projects

Other research projects
Logo for Horticulture impact assessment program 2020/21 to 2022/23
Multiple industries

Horticulture impact assessment program 2020/21 to 2022/23

Hort Innovation has engaged independent consultants to evaluate the impact of our R&D investments, providing insights into the type and magnitude of impacts that are being generated across the company’s strategic levy programs.
  • Funded by

    Hort Innovation

  • Project date

    11 Apr 2022 - 30 Nov 2024

  • Research organisation

    Ag Econ Plus

Logo for New varieties for Australian banana growers
Fruits

New varieties for Australian banana growers

This investment is identifying banana varieties from global breeding programs with TR4 resistance and evaluating their performance in Australian conditions.
  • Funded by

    Hort Innovation

  • Project date

    11 May 2022 - 13 Dec 2026

  • Research organisation

    Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (QDAF)

Logo for Australian Strawberry Breeding Program
Fruits

Australian Strawberry Breeding Program

This investment continues the development and commercial release of superior strawberry varieties for Australian environments, including temperate, subtropical and Mediterranean-growing …
  • Funded by

    Hort Innovation

  • Project date

    20 Feb 2023 - 1 Dec 2027

  • Research organisation

    Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (QDAF)

Logo for Nursery Usage & Attitudes Benchmark Program
Other rural industries

Nursery Usage & Attitudes Benchmark Program

This project is benchmarking consumers’ attitudes and perceptions of the nursery category. The results will be used to inform and improve the impact of future marketing and provide the foundations to identify how future campaigns impact attitudes and behaviours.
  • Funded by

    Hort Innovation

  • Research organisation

    Fifityfive5

Logo for Economic Impact Assessment for Hort Frontiers
Multiple industries

Economic Impact Assessment for Hort Frontiers

This investment engages independent consultants to evaluate the economic, social and environmental impact of Hort Frontiers investments completed in the last three years
  • Funded by

    Hort Innovation

  • Project date

    2 Jun 2022 - 1 Feb 2022

  • Research organisation

    Ag Econ Plus

Logo for Economic Contribution of Australian Horticulture
Multiple industries

Economic Contribution of Australian Horticulture

This short investment is using a suite of economic models to measure and understand how the horticulture industry contributes to the Australian economy. The project will estimate the direct and indirect impacts on the national economy, as well as regional areas.
  • Funded by

    Hort Innovation

  • Project date

    11 Mar 2022

  • Research organisation

    Centre for International Economics

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