1. The document discusses the use of Ethrel to break the macadamia cropping cycle on a farm in Northern Rivers, Australia. 2. Using Ethrel allows the farm to harvest their macadamia crop over 3 months rather than 6 months, reducing harvesting costs significantly. 3. Breaking the continuous cropping cycle also helps reduce pest pressure on the farm as it breaks the food source cycle for insects. The farm has not had to apply insecticides since starting the use of Ethrel in 2008.

1. Ethrel Use and Experiences
Prepared by: Bill Johnstone
October 2014

2. Background
• Alstonville Plateau, Northern Rivers
• 1989 – 344 & 741, 8x4m
• 1990 – A4 & A16, 8x4m
• 1999 – 849 & A4 , 9x4m
• 6 year production average
– 4.3 t NIS / ha
– 1.5 t SK / ha
2009-2011 2012-2014
15ha 12.9ha
4,600 trees 3,900 trees
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3. •Major Macadamia producing region
•Surrounded by other macadamia orchards
•Yet lower pest pressure and minimal losses to insect damage
•WHY? Breaking crop cycle part of the answer

4. • Why ?
– Initially to remove/prevent sticktytes in A varieties
– Continued to evolve
– To enable orchard work earlier in the year
• Difference
– Industry “standard” (common)
– Our Method (Ethrel)
Use of Ethrel
Clean up & prep Harvest Orchard work for next crop
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Clean up & prep Harvest Orchard work for next crop
Jan Feb Mar Mar Apr May JunJun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
2mths 6mths 4mths
2mths 3mths 7mths
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5. Use of Ethrel
168
36
Industry Standard Our Method
Substantially reduced
harvesting costs
$$$
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"Industry Standard"
Harvest start date Start of March
Harvest finish date Start of September
Harvest period
28 days / month
*Harvesting every week
6 months of the year
Total Harvest days 168 harvest days per year
Our Method (Ethrel)
Harvest start date mid March
Harvest finish date Mid June
Harvest period
12 days / month
*2 weeks on, 2 weeks off
3 months of the year
Total Harvest days 36 harvest days per year

6. 1. Reduced Harvest period
 Reduced harvest machinery costs (more tonnes on less hours)
2. Start orchard work for next crop sooner
 Orchard floor, Canopy, nutrition and repairs
3. May/June typically wet in Nth Rivers
 Our harvest majority completed by “wet season”
 Reduced risk
4. No long term health issues for the trees
 Over 11 seasons of continual use of ethrel
5. Forced understanding of spray coverage and volume
 Ethrel sensitivities ; get wrong = big losses
6. No out of season flowering
7. Reduced pest pressure
 Continual cropping prevented,
 broke cycle/food source
 No lace bug spray applied to date (pest consultant monitoring fortnightly)
Use of Ethrel – Benefits
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7. Reduced pest pressure
No resorting of NIS
since 2008
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Insect bottom blue

8.  Timing
◦ Soil temperature
◦ Air temperature
◦ Tree stress
◦ Wet weather (diluting and penetration)
◦ Harvest
◦ Maturity and testing
 Weather
◦ Timing of application
◦ Harvest
 Machinery
◦ Spray coverage and volume
◦ Harvest equipment
◦ Leaf drop management
◦ Shed and handling of bulk NIS/NIH
Use of Ethrel – Challenges
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9. Spraying Equipment
• 2006 – purchased SARDI fans and installed on a
tower.
• Reaches 8m high up on front forks + trailing air blast
sprayer
• Greatly improved coverage
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12. • Soil temp of 14 degrees C or greater
• Air temp of 25 degrees C or greater
• Will still work when drops slightly below optimal
temperatures
– advise to increase application rate 15-20%
• Maturity testing is important
– for maximum nut drop
– reduce the percentage of light immaturity
• Weather forecast
– wet weather and cold snaps
• Processor communication
Decision time, key factors -
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13. •Know which strength you have (480 or 720)
•Variety sensitive
•We started with industry knowledge of rates
–Refined over time
•MPC has done extensive R&D work on the rate info by region and variety(tables)
Rates
*Northern Rivers region
Variety
Rate (480 strength)
Rate (720 strength)
A4
70 mls/100 L
plus Non ionic wetter
47 mls/100 L
plus Non ionic wetter
A16
200-250 mls/ 100 L
plus Non ionic wetter
133 to 167 mls/100 L
plus Non ionic wetter
849
200 mls/ 100 L
plus Non ionic wetter
133 mls/100 L
plus Non ionic wetter
741
80 mls/ 100 L
plus Non ionic wetter
53 mls/100 L
plus Non ionic wetter
344
80 mls/ 100 L
plus Non ionic wetter
53 mls/100 L
plus Non ionic wetter

14.  Before going to an Ethrel program;
1. Have a method to assess maturity
 (processor assistance)
2. Need logistics for harvesting BULK volume of
NIS
 Harvest, staff, on farm transport, dehusk, transport, short
term storage & transport to processor
3. Need good tree health
4. Need very good spray coverage and volumes
5. Need confidence in weather forecast
Recommendations
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15. • Ethrel has potential for wider use in Macadamia production
• Reduces pest pressures
• Breaks out of season cropping and food source for pests
• Reduces risk
– bad weather and loss of nut
• Quality improvements
– less kernel deterioration in tree
• Reduces harvest time and costs
• More time to focus on growing next years crop ($$$)
Summary
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16. •No long term tree health issues
–11 years use and NO LONG TERM TREE HEALTH ISSUES
Summary
Can you pick which block has been sprayed with Ethrel for 11 years?
BOTH

17. • Questions?
Thank you
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