Trial Methodology and data analysis
Trial Setup
The trial is located on Redrock Orchard, Hummock Road, Pemberton, close to the coast, east of Bundaberg in Queensland. The trial set up is as an observational trial to monitor stress in 12 year old 816 macadamias and investigate whether the addition of foliar products can mitigate that stress and sequentially have a beneficial effect on crop yield and quality and tree health.
Because of the nature of tree monitoring using sap flow meters, the configuration of trees was partly dictated by this restraint. Last season, trees were chosen from a single row:
Three trees from the same block were chosen that are of similar size and vigour and the same variety (816), these three were grouped and treated with the same product. A buffer of 2 trees is in between each treatment which was not treated. Please refer to the manufacturer's website for details on the products
Treatment 1: Control (water)
Treatment 2: Endo-Fight Treatment
Treatment 3: Kelpak treatment
Treatment 4: Enhance KCS with Bio Elite
This configuration was then replicated on the same block on a row to the north of the initial set up. The initial set off trees was sprayed using a Silvan spot sprayer in the 2018-2019 season. The only parameters measured for the 2018-2019 season were the yield and quality measured by Redrock and the Suncoast Gold Macadamias laboratory. The results were inconclusive as the stress measuring components were not available in time, however, the Kelpak treatment gave a return on investment above the control.
Application
The various treatments were applied at 2.5L total volume per tree by spray drone (equivalent to 780L/ha)
Control Water only
Endofight 64ml/tree
Kelpak 7.5ml/tree
Enhance KCS 19ml/tree
BioElite 0.32ml/tree
Application Timing
The trees were sprayed on 3 separate occasions
24/08/2020 Flowering
30/09/2020 Nut set
05/11/2020 Nut drop/marble size
Yield and Tree Analysis
The trees are being assessed in various ways in order to investigate plant stress and its relationship to yield and quality
Sap Flow Monitoring
There are 4 Edaphic sap flow meters installed, one in each treatment. This is monitored live and can be viewed either via Rimik software or through the FarminOne appSoil moisture monitoring
There is a single moisture probe that also measures EC so that the status of the soil moisture at various depths can be monitored alongside the sapflowWeather Station
The weather station data is also available through the Farminone app which will enable the Vapour Pressure Deficit to be displayed on the sap and soil graph which will be a very useful tool for indicating when possible stress periods are likelyNDRE
The trees are being surveyed by a drone with a multispectral 'Red Edge" camera. This data can then be analysed on an individual tree basis. The reading can be interpreted as chlorophyll content and vegetative mass and may give an indication of actual tree health and vigour which will in turn be compared with other trees in the treatment and its development over timeQuality and Yield
The nuts will be harvested per treatment and weight and quality assessed by the Suncoast Gold laboratory