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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Hilo, Hawaii » Daniel K. Inouye U.S. Pacific Basin Agricultural Research Center » Tropical Plant Genetic Resources and Disease Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #358860
Research Project: Management, Characterization, and Evaluation of Pacific Tropical and Subtropical Fruit and Nut Genetic Resources and Associated Information

Location: Tropical Plant Genetic Resources and Disease Research

Title: Global macadamia science: Overview of the special section from the 2017 International Macadamia Research Symposium

Author
item HARDNER, CRAIG - Queensland University - Australia
item Wall, Marisa
item CHO, ALYSSA - University Of Hawaii

Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/8/2018
Publication Date: 4/1/2019
Citation: Hardner, C.M., Wall, M.M., Cho, A. 2019. Global macadamia science: Overview of the special section from the 2017 International Macadamia Research Symposium. HortScience. 54(4):592-595. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI13543-18.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI13543-18

Interpretive Summary: This paper summarizes research presentations delivered at the 2017 International Macadamia Research Symposium held in Hilo, Hawaii. This was the first international meeting of macadamia researchers since 1992. Advances in propagation, pollination, pest management, genetics, breeding, physiology, and production were reported by scientists from nine macadamia-producing countries.

Technical Abstract: Macadamia is a rapidly developing crop world-wide, however, limited history and size means many challenges remain to support improved productivity and profitability of this industry. This paper summarizes oral and poster presentations, and subsequent papers included in this volume, delivered at the 2017 International Macadamia Research Symposium, held in Hilo, Hawaii in September of that year. This was the first international meeting of macadamia researchers since 1992. The 28 oral and 7 poster presentations covered propagation technology, tree physiology, soils and nutrition, pollination, pest and disease, orchard management, genetics and breeding, product development, and new production regions. Notable messages were that micro-grafting of macadamias is commercially viable; planting density and girdling could increase early yield per hectare; resource availability may limit cross-pollination yield; and yield production of individual branches are not independent. Integrated pest management was described to develop pest resilient farming systems and manage felted coccid; an international collaborative approach was proposed for effective disease management and early detection; and the concept of integrated orchard management was used to translate research outputs into a common language for grower adoption. In the areas of breeding and genetic resources, participants showed that modern macadamia cultivars are 2-4 generations from wild but do not capture all wild diversity; progress was reported on the Macadamia Genome Project to produce the first macadamia reference genome; and advances in phenotypic selection and cultivar development were described.