Increasing yield and quality in tropical horticulture with better pollination, fruit retention and nutrient distribution

This program aims to optimise crop pollination efficiency. Key objectives are to increase yield and quality through better understanding of crop nutrition during crop pollination and through improved understanding of the effects of cross pollination on fruit quality. The project team will develop non-destructive tools (using hyperspectral imaging) to quantify nutrient concentrations and produce guidelines to help growers maximise crop pollination efficiency, optimise fertiliser applications and increase fruit set. New knowledge and technologies developed will be relevant to both tropical and temperate fruit industries, and nut industries. Field work involves almond, avocado, custard apple, lychee, macadamia, mango and strawberry crops. The program will also support capacity building in Australia by developing new international collaborations among pollination and plant physiology science groups in Australia, New Zealand and Germany, and support new students into the horticulture sector.