A feasibility study of a commercially available remote-controlled and high-rate tree pruning unit to create fuel modified zones in softwood plantations

Root-borne diseases are increasingly affecting tree production nurseries, lowering productivity and profitability. This project will improve nursery management by defining the right balance of fertilizer, fungicide and microbial inoculum to break the disease cycle, and use field trials to refine treatments to improve establishment and resilience post-planting.

This project forms part of a series that aims to at least double the rate of genetic gain in pine tree breeding in Australia. This project will focus on the extensive network of trials and orchards in the Gippsland region of Victoria to further implement cutting-edge single-step genomic selection, provide pedigree and identity assurance for the radiata pine breeding and deployment populations, and deliver new, high-throughput sample processing methods.

This project will identify gaps in publicly available, standardised soils data that would assist growers in improving the resilience, productivity and utilisation of the land where radiata pine plantations are growing, or may be established.