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Hazelnut variety assessment for South-eastern Australia
An interim report for the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation
by Basil Baldwin, Karilyn Gilchrist and Lester Snare
April 2007 RIRDC Publication No 07/062 RIRDC Project No US-125A
It is the culmination of ten years of research.
Who is the report targeted
at
It is intended to provide
valuable information for existing hazelnut growers, those planning to grow
hazelnuts, potential investors in the hazelnut industry, individual advisers
and policy makers.
Aims/Objectives
The principal aims/ objectives
of this research were to:
Background
Australia imports over $15m
of hazelnuts annually. There are opportunities for both import replacement
and the development of a range of hazelnut products from Australian grown
hazelnuts.
Hazelnuts are a health food, being high in monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, calcium and potassium.
Although hazelnuts were introduced into Australia more than 150 years ago, an industry has not developed, yet we have many significant nut and tree fruit industries. Currently, production of hazelnuts in Australia is very small, only about 20-50 tonnes per annum of in-shell nuts, compared with a consumption of about 2,000 tonnes of kernels, equivalent to over 4,000 tonnes of in-shell nuts.
Methods used
Five field sites were established
in NSW, Victoria and Tasmania to study the potential of 25 hazelnut varieties.
The research included observations of the flowering characteristics of
the varieties, measurements of tree growth, nut yields and assessments
of kernel quality. Automatic weather stations were used to monitor climatic
conditions at all sites. Plant tissue testing was used to monitor the nutrient
levels of the trees annually at all sites. The physical and chemical status
of the soils at all sites was also assessed.
Results/Key findings
Varietal performance
No single variety gave the
highest yield at all sites. The two best yielding varieties were Barcelona
and Tokolyi/Brownfield Cosford (TBC). The Italian variety, Tonda di Giffoni,
also performed well.
The variety Lewis, which was bred at the Oregon State University (OSU), also showed considerable promise. These four varieties are suited to the kernel market. The choice of variety for planting is strongly influenced by the grower’s target market. The largest market is the kernel market. Many buyers or processors require specific kernel attributes, such as taste, size, ease of blanching and pellicle thickness. The key attributes of the varieties evaluated are reported. The potential pollinisers for the most promising varieties are given.
The effects of climate
and soils on site selection for hazelnut production
The climatic data recorded
at the sites was analysed and compared with key centres of hazelnut production
overseas. Generally, hazelnuts require a relatively cool climate with moderate
rainfall.
Characteristics of suitable
sites:
Productive potential
The growth of trees and
the nut yields obtained from the Myrtleford site, for the variety Barcelona,
were found to be comparable to those obtained from similar experiments
in Oregon, USA. The nut yields obtained from the established trees at all
the mainland sites were equivalent to 2-2.5 tonnes/ha, which are comparable
to yields obtained from productive commercial orchards in Italy, Spain,
Oregon, USA and France.
Although establishment costs for hazelnuts are estimated to be $6,000-$8,000 per hectare, established orchards should be capable of providing a gross margin of $3,000-$5,000 per hectare, depending on yield and price received.
Implications for stakeholders
Production and product
quality aspects
Pest management issues
Recommendations
Recommendations to facilitate
the successful and long-term development of the hazelnut industry are:
Productivity and market
acceptance
The experiments conducted
indicate that there are four varieties – Barcelona, TBC, Lewis and Tonda
di Giffoni - that have good yield potential and have acceptance for particular
niches in the kernel market. At this stage of industry development, these
are recommended as the most suitable varieties to grow for that market.
Each of these varieties has
its own limitations and there is no ideal variety. If the industry seeks
to expand to meet all of Australia’s hazelnut needs, other varieties would
be required to give higher yields and superior quality kernels. This would
probably require a plant breeding and evaluation program, but at this stage
of industry development such a program could not be justified.
This research should
involve productivity and quality aspects as well as market acceptance.
It is generally recommended
that irrigation systems be established to supplement rainfall deficiencies
at key stages in tree and nut development. Micro-sprinklers were used at
Myrtleford, Moss Vale and Orange with drip irrigation at Kettering and
Toolangi. In France, Spain and, to a lesser extent, in Italy, drip irrigation
is used in hazelnut orchards. Many studies on irrigation have been conducted
overseas; there is a need to review the literature on irrigation and develop
guidelines for growers and identify areas where further research might
be needed so that scarce water resources can be used efficiently.
Industry development
and extension
If the hazelnut industry
is to develop, it is considered desirable to establish a concentration
of growers and plantations in regions suited to hazelnut production such
as Northern Tasmania, North-eastern Victoria and the Central Tablelands
in NSW.
Pest management
Big Bud Mite was identified
as a pest of hazelnuts in Tasmania; to date this pest has not been found
on the mainland.
Implementation of
the recommendations
1. Industry initiatives.
It is recommended that the
peak hazelnut industry body, the Hazelnut Growers of Australia (HGA), develop
a strategic plan for industry development that includes priorities for
research and that further funding be sought to undertake studies on the
topics identified in the section on "Productivity and market acceptance".
2. Community and government
support
A key ingredient of industry
development will be initiatives taken by growers or groups of growers.
They will require support from local communities, such as local councils and funding from state or federal government sources, for regional development initiatives. Such funds will be required to assist with the costs of travel to study production methods, mechanisation and marketing as well as for the development of infrastructure, such as harvesting equipment and processing facilities.
3. Policy development
The management or control
of Big Bud Mite requires action from government working in collaboration
with the industry. It is considered there is a need for action to be taken
to mitigate against the spread of this pest, which is a potential threat
to the developing industry. A program of action needs to be developed by
the industry in conjunction with state government authorities with legislation
to support any recommendations that are developed for the management of
this pest.
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