Pilot production and sales of red bayberry in Australia

The University of Queensland

  • Project code: PRJ-005083

  • Project stage: Closed

  • Project start date: Tuesday, June 28, 2011

  • Project completion date: Thursday, May 15, 2014

  • National Priority: NEPI-Feasibility studies and industry literature reviews

Summary

In the course of this proposed red bayberry (Myrica rubra) project, parallel fruit production and amenity tree production value chains will be consolidated around selected red bayberry clones developed in the course of a preceding RIRDC project. The project will realise first commercial scale production and sales of red bayberry plants and fresh fruit in Australia. In collaboration with Birdwood Nursery P.L. and UniQuest P.L., pilot scale plantings for fruit production will be established of selected female clones and male pollinators and grown to fruiting on participating grower’s properties in Queensland and New South Wales. The fresh fruit will be marketed through outlets of consenting retailers. For amenity horticulture, selected male clones will be produced and marketed into the retail ornamental nursery sector for use in parks and gardens. During the project, PBR trials for individual red bayberry clones will be conducted and screening of a red bayberry seedling sub-population carried out under contract by QPIF. Propagation, agronomic and postharvest management practices will be documented and refined throughout the project to maximise productivity and returns. As a result of this pilot project, full commercial production of red bayberry plants and fresh fruit in Australia will be enabled.

Program

New and Emerging Plant Industries

Research Organisation

The University of Queensland

Objective Summary

• Selection of additional superior Australian red bayberry clones for ornamental plant and fruit quality characteristics.
• IP protection (PBR or Trade Marking) of selected red bayberry clones for commercialisation.
• Commercial scale propagation of selected superior red bayberry clones for commercial trialling in Queensland and Northern New South Wales.
• Pilot scale commercial scale trial plantings on grower’s properties of red bayberry trees for fruit production.
• Refinement of agronomic (e.g. pollination, pruning and thinning) practices for red bayberry trees.
• Protocols for post-production red bayberry fruit packaging, handling and marketing.
• Pilot scale test marketing of fruit from selected red bayberry clones.