In Kununurra, a three-year tropical fruit trial is set to begin to help cyclone-proof producers in the North West. The project is run by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development as part of the Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia project. It aims to develop new resilient orchard production technology using jackfruit as a trial crop.
DPIRD will establish trial and demonstration sites in Kununurra and Carnarvon, with each site using a mixture of seedlings, grafted trees and cuttings to evaluate selected varieties for commercial production.
“The key objective of the project is to demonstrate the management and productivity benefits associated with high-density and trellised plantings for cyclone resilience,” DPIRD research scientist Tara Slaven told thewest.com.au. “It will also allow us to evaluate the commercial suitability of new jackfruit selections and propagation methods at multiple sites across north Australia. The results from the trials will provide growers with a production method that mitigates the risks associated with tropical cyclones, enabling expansion of the horticultural sector and economic development through new plantings across this region.”
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