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Almond Budwood Program
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Phil Watters Award
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Industry Communications
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Research & Development Program
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Marketing Program
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Australian Almond Breeding Program |
Almond Budwood Program
Project Leader: Ben Brown
The Almond Board of Australia owns and operates a world-class budwood repository facility held at the Riverland Vine Improvement Committee’s Monash site. The trees are under the direct management of the ABA’s staff and managed specifically to minimise the potential for genetic disorders and key viruses. Each season, all attempts are made to reduce the chance of obtaining a virus by deflowering the trees, sterilisation of pruning equipment between each tree and virus testing of every second tree each year. Furthermore, each tree is assessed for vigour, flowering times and growth habit.
Almond budwood is normally cut from mid November to late December for Spring budded, one year old tress and from February to end of March for Autumn budded, two-year old trees. This budwood can either be supplied to the almond grower for delivery to their nursery or direct to a nursery.
Virtually 100% of all almond trees supplied by nurseries to growers are produced using buds grown at Monash. Additionally, the industry has an almond breeding program based at Adelaide University which has extensive international collaboration. The evaluation of the seedlings produced under this program annually occurs at Monash.
Industry Communications
"In A Nutshell" Newsletter
The ABA’s quarterly newsletter “In A Nutshell” is now an integral means for communicating with the broader industry base, providing relevant and current updates on a wide range of topics including R&D projects, marketing activities and industry issues. This publication is further supplemented by the technical journal “Australian Nutgrower”, a quarterly publication published by the Australian Nut Industry Council (ANIC).
Almond Industry Statistics Report
The ABA extended the scope of information available with regard to our rapidly expanding industry. 2007/08 saw the release of the industry’s first statistics report encompassing plantings, production, sales and consumption data, a second report was released in May 2010. It is intended to update and distribute this report annually.
Grower Fact Sheets
“All About Almonds” was a new ABA initiative in 2007/08. A series of topical fact sheets are now being prepared to assist almond growers with key issues during the growing season.
Almond Industry Conference 2009
More than 200 delegates attended the three day conference held in the Barossa Valley, South Australia on 28th to 30th October 2009. This provided a valuable opportunity for industry networking and featured a wide range of guest speakers on issues such as:
- Marketing initiatives, including new magazine adverts highlighting the health benefits of almonds to women
- The latest research and development in a number of fields
- Encouraging the next generation into the industry
- Trends in the world market
The conference theme ‘Coming out of Our Shell’ consistently delivered the message to delegates that the popularity of almonds will continue to grow and Australia is well placed to take advantage of the global boom.
The conference attracted over 20 exhibitors and a broad range of sponsors, whose support ensured the success of this annual industry event.
The ABA gratefully acknowledges the valuable support of our sponsors and conference partners, which ensured the success of the 2009 Australian Almond Conference.
Marketing Program
Marketing Program Manager: Joseph Ebbage
The domestic market is the largest single market for Australian almonds. Building and sustaining domestic demand is therefore a core focus for the ABA.
ABA undertakes programs to stimulate demand in Australia through influencing consumer attitudes, both directly and in partnership with health professionals and other key opinions leaders, by promoting the taste and nutritional aspect of eating almonds.
The ABA's domestic marketing program now utilises four avenues for conveying our message to consumers:
Direct to Consumer
In 2008/09, the ABA promoted Australian almonds at Good Food & Wine Shows in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. These events provide for personal interaction with our consumers to sample Australian almonds, communicate the key health benefits of eating a handful of almonds every day and grow a database of almond consumers for on-going communication.
Health Professionals Program
Our Health Professionals program includes both development of resources that articulate the nutritional benefits of regularly eating almonds, together with the communication of these benefits to key health professionals. The overarching objective of this program is to create 'almond advocates'. The ABA has formed strong partnerships with The University of Wollongong, Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) and Sports Dietitians Association (SDA). The ABA is a long-term supporter of Nuts for Life a campaign promoting the health benefits of nut consumption. The ABA has also developed a close working relationship with the Heart Foundation, including regular use of the 'Heart Tick' in promotional materials. The ABA incorporates findings from nutrition research in communications with Health Professionals, including conferences, samples and newsletters.
Marketing Materials Order Form
Research & Development Program
The Almond R&D program is administered by Horticulture Australia Limited (HAL). This program is funded by the Almond R&D levy, voluntary contributions from both the ABA and industry, and matched funding from the Australian Government.
Statutory R&D levy collections in 2008/09 totalled $550,090. These collections, leveraged by matched funding from the Australian Government and voluntary contributions from both the ABA and industry directly, supported a $2 million R&D program this year.
Investment in the R&D program is based on advice from the Industry Advisory Committee (IAC), with support from three strategic subcommittees:
Collectively, these committees help to monitor research being undertaken in their respective strategy areas and identify industry needs that can be addressed by allocating the statutory R&D funding of the ABA voluntary contributions.
An overview of current almond R&D activities and initiatives, including those activities directly undertaken by the ABA, is presented in the Annual Almond Industry Report 2008/09, published by Horticulture Australia Limited (HAL).
Key projects funded through the 2008/09 Almond R&D Program:
Australian Almond Breeding Program
Project Leader: Michelle Wirthensohn
The almond breeding program at The University of Adelaide encompasses a broad range of areas from classical breeding, marker-assisted selection, and gene manipulation for crop improvement. Several projects are also underway within the group for establishing the genetic control and phenotypic expression of important agronomic traits, such as taste and disease resistance.
The breeding program began at the University of Adelaide in 1997, with the aim of breeding new improved almond varieties to maintain a competitive edge on both local and overseas markets. Along with classical breeding using Australian cultivars crossed with European and American cultivars, the program uses molecular techniques to aid the selection process. Hybridisations are conducted at multiple sites including the Waite Campus (Adelaide), Angle Vale, (Northern Adelaide Plains), and Lindsay Point (Riverland).
A summary of the number of crosses and progeny produced are presented in Table 1. Molecular markers linked to traits of interest have been identified and are currently being used in the program, such as markers linked to the genes that control self-fertility. This technique has made it possible to evaluate the self-incompatibility status of almonds at their seedling stage. The program also routinely screens for three viruses, Prunus Necrotic Ringspot virus (PNRSV), Prune Dwarf virus (PDV) and Plum Pox virus (PPV) using PCR-based techniques.
Table 1. Summary of almond breeding progress from 1997 to 2007
The program is funded by the ABA, HAL and ARC.
To read more about this program please click here
Phil Watters Award
The Australian Almond industry’s Phil Watters award is dedicated to the memory of Phil Watters (1974 – 2007) - a widely respected individual, a dedicated Technical Officer, selfless employee, and role model for young and upcoming horticultural students.
The Phil Watters Award recognises service to the Australian almond industry, in particular a dedication to research, development and the improvement of almond production, adoption of best practice and promotion of horticulture to the community.
The award is presented every two years with the beneficiary receiving $10,000 and the ability to undertake a study tour domestically or abroad. This may take the form of a technical conference, short course, grower exchange or many other exciting and informative options. The results of which will be communicated back to the Australian almond industry.
Background
Phil graduated in Agricultural Science (BSc majoring in Horticulture) from the University of Adelaide in 1998. Following his graduation Phil was employed as the Technical Officer at Jubilee Almonds, Overland Corner, Century Orchards, Loxton and the Almond Board of Australia (ABA). During his employment with the ABA, Phil devoted himself to a world leading, almond trial at CT Farms, Loxton.
The CT Trial, “Optimisation of Australian Almond Growing in Australia” is a comprehensive experiment involving the high level management of a pulsed, drip irrigation system, optimum inputs of irrigation and nutrition, and canopy architecture. Without Phil’s tireless efforts, the CT Trial would not have achieved its results, which exceeded existing Australian and world production standards.
Throughout Phil’s employment he was highly co-operative and motivated in promoting the scientific field of Horticulture to young and up-coming, high school and tertiary students. His contiguously, enthusiastic approach to his work and the extension of this information, encouraged several students to consider horticulture as a career path.
2009 Award Recipient - Craig Spilsbury, Loxton, South Australia
Craig Spilsbury has long been associated with the Australian almond industry with his family being one of the earlier almond producers in Willunga, south of Adelaide. As with many of the other Willunga families, Craig’s family moved to the Riverland following the opportunity to sell their orchard to the expanding vineyard industry and move to an area with warmer temperatures, lower disease pressure, and better access to suitable soil types and more consistent water supplies.
Having worked on his family’s orchards, Craig first got his start as an almond grower with his own orchard in 1991 at Loxton. Craig has been a valuable contributor to the almond industry, in particular, over the last eight years where he was one of the original growers to adopt and refine some of the research and best practice coming out of the industry’s watershed R&D project, typically known as the “CT Trial”.
The CT Trial brought expertise from Israel and with it came a new management program for irrigating and fertilising almonds. Craig was in close contact with the research project and quickly recognised the benefits and results it was producing. When many people were hesitant to adopt some of the practices due to some of the significant differences to “normal” best practice, Craig saw the trial for what it was, and with his frequent discussions, quickly adopted the trial as much as he was practically able to. Craig with his existing orchard infrastructure couldn’t conduct the whole conversion but could see what needed to be done and improvised with what he had. Within a season or two Craig was soon replicating some of the higher yields achieved at the CT Trial and still out performs the current industries benchmark yield.
Through his success, Craig has only been too happy to help other almond growers who have also tried to adopt these advances in best practice to the point he made his property available for a demonstration and adoption field day as part of the national conference going back four or five years ago. Yields, fertiliser quantities, water quantities and nutritional sprays were all published in pamphlets for all to see and he spoke to everyone about his experiences of what to do and things he had not adopted.
To read media related articles on the 2009 award presentation & recipient please select the links below:
2011 Award Nominations
The Phil Watters memorial award is open to any individual within the Australian almond industry who contributes to almond production through either research and development, adoption of best practice and/or promotion of horticulture to the community.
Nominations are invited from people working in either the private or public sector. This includes, but is not limited to, owner-operated farms, corporate farms, private consultancy groups and government research institutions.
Nominations can be submitted by, or on behalf of, an individual and must focus on the contributions of that specific person. Nominees must be based in Australia, or their contributions originate from an Australian origin.
Selection Criteria
- Excellence and/or innovation
- Adoption of best practice, or dedication to the improvement of almond production
- Positive influence on colleagues
- Community involvement in promoting horticulture to the wider community
Eligibility
Any work, project, program or extension must have been undertaken or implemented between July 2007 and June 2009. Nominees must have been working their current position for at least 24 months.
Awards
The award to the succesful individual winner of the Phil Watters Memorial Award will be decided by the Selection Panel and may vary from one ceremony to another. Examples of awards include an all expenses paid trip, domestically or abroad, to the value of $10,000 AUD to:
- A related or relevant conference
- A workshop or short course
- A host almond orchard
- A host researcher and/or research institution
Applying & Donating
Nominations for the 2011 award must be received no later than Thursday, September 2nd, 2011. To submit a donation or nomination please complete the form below and mail to:
CONFIDENTIAL
Phil Watters Memorial Award
C/- Almond Board of Australia
PO Box 2246
BERRI SA 5343
