Increasing citrus production in Pakistan and Australia through improved orchard management techniques

The initial planning meeting for this project was held in May 2007 in Islamabad, Pakistan. Implementation of project work was delayed due to the cancellation of the November 07 visit and delay of the March 08 visit to Pakistan, resulting fro the unstable security situation in Pakistan.

In May 2007, climatic data for citrus production areas was obtained from Pakistan. On the basis of this climatic data, heat unit maps were produced for the major citrus growing areas. The aim of this heat unit mapping was to identify suitable Australian and international germplasm (superior cultivars and rootstock material) with potential suitability for the major Pakistan citrus growing areas. Unfortunately the heat unit mapping exercise highlighted that there were no Australian matching citrus growing regions for either the major Pakistan citrus growing areas of North West Frontier Provence (NWFP) or Punjab. Therefore, the decision to select the citrus cultivars was made after consulting with the variety expert at Dareton. Budwood for 23 cultivars and 8 rootstocks were sent to the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF), Pakistan in September 2007. The budwood was budded by the collaborative staff of UAF. The germplasm and rootstock are growing successfully at UAF Pakistan and this was confirmed during a May 08 visit to Pakistan. The development of variety fact sheets which provide details of the cultural characteristics and production of the cultivars and rootstocks established in Pakistan is underway.

Another component of the project, modification of flood irrigation system to under-tree furrow irrigation system is underway. Under-tree furrow irrigation trials have commenced on grower's properties in Punjab and NWFP provinces. Work is also underway to measure the amount of water used by furrow verses flood irrigation system before a recommendation can be made. Sites have also been selected to trial pressurised irrigation (drip/sprinkler) systems at Orange Research Institute (ORI), Sargodha (Punjab) and the Agriculture Research Institute, Tarnab (NWFP). Installation of the irrigation system at ORI is nearly complete.

The extension components of this project have also commenced. For extension purposes, a reworking DVD on plant propagation and nursery production techniques has been produced by NSW DPI. This was launched in Pakistan in May 2008. Growers and nurserymen took a keen interest in the "Reworking" DVD. As a part of the capacity building for this project, field sessions were also held for soil water use and tensiometer training in Pakistan for the extension officers of Sargodha and Toba Tek Singh; the two citrus growing regions for "Kinnow" mandarins.

Four staff member from arrange of collaborative institutes of Pakistan visited Australian in November 2008 to undertake training in a range of production and experimental techniques. The group was trained in plant propagation and nursery techniques, irrigations systems, tree pruning and thinning, basic nutrition and experimental design and analysis. This project has established linkages with the Federal Seed Certification & Registration Department, the Federal body responsible for plant, seed and nursery certification. Members of their department will travel to Australia for the nursery training in the near future. Linkages with the Punjab Fruit and Vegetable Development Project (a Punjab Government-funded extensions, training and capacity building project) have also been established. These linkages will be used to develop joint extension and training programs to further leverage the impact from the ASLP.