Overview
This project aimed to build reliable fruit supply chains for both domestic and export markets, using jackfruit as a representative model.
In the southern Philippines, tropical fruits such as durian, jackfruit and pomelo are valuable crops that offer smallholders the potential to generate income. Previous work (HORT/2007/067/2) identified that nursery hygiene, integrated pest and disease control, integrated crop management, and value adding and processing hinder the development of these industries. Similar issues affect the development of these industries in Australia.
This project had a holistic approach with work on nursery and disease management (nursery hygiene, use of plant defence activators, rootstock disease resistance), production (flower induction, crop load and nutrition management, identification of superior genetics and examining the role of trellising on yield and improved typhoon/cyclone resilience) and processing.
Outputs included systems for producing disease-free nursery stock; potassium phosphonate for managing disease; improved stock-scion combinations; and better management technologies to control and extend the fruiting season and processing options for jackfruit. The research could improve livelihoods of smallholder tropical fruit farmers in the southern Philippines and help develop new industries in tropical Australia.
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