Research into native rainforest trees on Atherton Tablelands is set to break new ground.
Three trials plots have been established at Yungaburra, Millaa Millaa and Malanda, funded by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC).
Dr Tony Page, a senior research fellow with the Tropical Forests and People Research Centre at the University of the Sunshine Coast, is carrying out the research.
“The industry came to us a long time ago requesting assistance to try and work out why yields are so variable between trees, between paddocks and between plantings,” Dr Page said.
“It’s a wild plant and that’s exactly what you would expect.
“The research hopes to provide details on high yields, consistency of yields and predictability so that growers can predict what their income will be and whether they want to invest
“This is first step of domestication is to get some predictability and higher yields.”
The trial plots are located at the properties of Sue and Ken Pyke, Sunset Ridge, Yungaburra, 0.5ha and 550 plants; Margo Watkins and Peter Lawlor, Frog Hollow, Millaa Millaa, 0.5ha and 500 plants and Geraldine McGuire, Rainforest Bounty, Malanda, 0.6 ha and 650 plants.
Dr Page said the trial would “come into its own” when the trees start producing, which was expected in around two and a half years.
The trials were assessing two main varieties of Davidson Plum, a more common native rainforest tree in the far north.
“All three growers have a close replica of the trial which will help select genetically superior forms for cultivation and determine environmental influences on yield and other commercial characters,” Dr Page said.
“A total of 20 grower-identified selections (family lines) are being evaluated across the three environments.
“The selections were identified and sourced from Sunset Ridge and Frog Hollow, which were originally established as commercial plantings over ten years ago using wild collected seed.
“Two broad forms are being evaluated, being the ‘hairy/rough’, which have abundant hairs on leaves and fruit and ‘smooth’ which have much reduced hairs.
“I am sure smooth ones will produce earlier as they grow quicker and more abundant and generally more pest susceptible.”
Dr Page has worked with native blueberries in South Australia and is experienced with domesticating forestry trees.
