2018 Avocado industry R and D priority survey

In November 2017 Hort Innovation and Avocados Australia hosted a forum to discuss on-farm R&D priorities related to productivity and fruit quality.
The forum, attended by researchers, experts and industry leaders, identified six broad areas of investment for future on-farm R&D activities: genetics and propagation, disease, pests and insects, crop production, precision ag and fruit handling.
This short survey will help us to further refine these categories by identifying key targets within those broad areas. Please note, extension and education activities underpin every category. We have not asked you to rank the importance of these crucial activities.
Once this feedback is incorporated, Hort Innovation will progress toward commissioning appropriate new projects with the avocado Strategic Investment Advisory Panel.
For more information about this survey or the setting of research and development priorities, please contact Corrine Jasper on corrine.jasper@horticulture.com.au or call 0439 433 885.

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* 1. Genetics and Propagation: please prioritise the following potential R&D activities

	very important	important	somewhat important	not important	no comment
Developing a detailed Hass genome	Developing a detailed Hass genome very important	Developing a detailed Hass genome important	Developing a detailed Hass genome somewhat important	Developing a detailed Hass genome not important	Developing a detailed Hass genome no comment
Clonal propagation	Clonal propagation very important	Clonal propagation important	Clonal propagation somewhat important	Clonal propagation not important	Clonal propagation no comment
Germplasm conservation	Germplasm conservation very important	Germplasm conservation important	Germplasm conservation somewhat important	Germplasm conservation not important	Germplasm conservation no comment
Avocado breeding program	Avocado breeding program very important	Avocado breeding program important	Avocado breeding program somewhat important	Avocado breeding program not important	Avocado breeding program no comment
Funding of research interactions / collaborations	Funding of research interactions / collaborations very important	Funding of research interactions / collaborations important	Funding of research interactions / collaborations somewhat important	Funding of research interactions / collaborations not important	Funding of research interactions / collaborations no comment

Do you have any other Genetics & Propagation research suggestions?

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* 2. Disease: please prioritise the following potential R&D activities

	very important	important	somewhat important	not important	no comment
Improved plant and root disease management for established orchards	Improved plant and root disease management for established orchards very important	Improved plant and root disease management for established orchards important	Improved plant and root disease management for established orchards somewhat important	Improved plant and root disease management for established orchards not important	Improved plant and root disease management for established orchards no comment
Improved plant and root disease management for new plantings / orchards	Improved plant and root disease management for new plantings / orchards very important	Improved plant and root disease management for new plantings / orchards important	Improved plant and root disease management for new plantings / orchards somewhat important	Improved plant and root disease management for new plantings / orchards not important	Improved plant and root disease management for new plantings / orchards no comment
Improved fruit management practices within orchards	Improved fruit management practices within orchards very important	Improved fruit management practices within orchards important	Improved fruit management practices within orchards somewhat important	Improved fruit management practices within orchards not important	Improved fruit management practices within orchards no comment
Improved fruit management practices post harvest	Improved fruit management practices post harvest very important	Improved fruit management practices post harvest important	Improved fruit management practices post harvest somewhat important	Improved fruit management practices post harvest not important	Improved fruit management practices post harvest no comment
Predictive testing (eg, whole orchard satellite mapping, fruit robustness)	Predictive testing (eg, whole orchard satellite mapping, fruit robustness) very important	Predictive testing (eg, whole orchard satellite mapping, fruit robustness) important	Predictive testing (eg, whole orchard satellite mapping, fruit robustness) somewhat important	Predictive testing (eg, whole orchard satellite mapping, fruit robustness) not important	Predictive testing (eg, whole orchard satellite mapping, fruit robustness) no comment

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* 3. Please list the main diseases of concern to you, including your location (regional level).

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* 4. Pests: please prioritise the following potential R&D activities

	very important	important	somewhat important	not important	no comment
Regionally tailored programs to address priority pests	Regionally tailored programs to address priority pests very important	Regionally tailored programs to address priority pests important	Regionally tailored programs to address priority pests somewhat important	Regionally tailored programs to address priority pests not important	Regionally tailored programs to address priority pests no comment
Current review of best practice	Current review of best practice very important	Current review of best practice important	Current review of best practice somewhat important	Current review of best practice not important	Current review of best practice no comment
R&D of new knowledge and research, for example monitoring tools, new management controls	R&D of new knowledge and research, for example monitoring tools, new management controls very important	R&D of new knowledge and research, for example monitoring tools, new management controls important	R&D of new knowledge and research, for example monitoring tools, new management controls somewhat important	R&D of new knowledge and research, for example monitoring tools, new management controls not important	R&D of new knowledge and research, for example monitoring tools, new management controls no comment

Do you have any other Pest research suggestions?

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* 5. Please list the main pests of concern to you, including your location (regional level).

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* 6. Crop Production: please prioritise the following potential R&D activities

	very important	important	somewhat important	not important	no comment
Crop nutrition	Crop nutrition very important	Crop nutrition important	Crop nutrition somewhat important	Crop nutrition not important	Crop nutrition no comment
Plant Growth Regulators	Plant Growth Regulators very important	Plant Growth Regulators important	Plant Growth Regulators somewhat important	Plant Growth Regulators not important	Plant Growth Regulators no comment
Irrigation	Irrigation very important	Irrigation important	Irrigation somewhat important	Irrigation not important	Irrigation no comment
Research to improve fruit set and fruit retention	Research to improve fruit set and fruit retention very important	Research to improve fruit set and fruit retention important	Research to improve fruit set and fruit retention somewhat important	Research to improve fruit set and fruit retention not important	Research to improve fruit set and fruit retention no comment

Do you have any other Crop Production research suggestions?

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* 7. Precision Ag: please prioritise the following potential R&D activities

	very important	important	somewhat important	not important	no comment
Orchard mapping and monitoring (including tree health mapping, yield forecasting, crop in-field data and national estate information)	Orchard mapping and monitoring (including tree health mapping, yield forecasting, crop in-field data and national estate information) very important	Orchard mapping and monitoring (including tree health mapping, yield forecasting, crop in-field data and national estate information) important	Orchard mapping and monitoring (including tree health mapping, yield forecasting, crop in-field data and national estate information) somewhat important	Orchard mapping and monitoring (including tree health mapping, yield forecasting, crop in-field data and national estate information) not important	Orchard mapping and monitoring (including tree health mapping, yield forecasting, crop in-field data and national estate information) no comment
Canopy management (focusing on decision support tools)	Canopy management (focusing on decision support tools) very important	Canopy management (focusing on decision support tools) important	Canopy management (focusing on decision support tools) somewhat important	Canopy management (focusing on decision support tools) not important	Canopy management (focusing on decision support tools) no comment
Automation of in-field tasks	Automation of in-field tasks very important	Automation of in-field tasks important	Automation of in-field tasks somewhat important	Automation of in-field tasks not important	Automation of in-field tasks no comment

Do you have any other Precision Ag research suggestions?

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* 8. Fruit Handling (post-harvest): please prioritise the following potential R&D activities

	very important	important	somewhat important	not important	no comment
Industry supply chain accreditation scheme (best practice scheme)	Industry supply chain accreditation scheme (best practice scheme) very important	Industry supply chain accreditation scheme (best practice scheme) important	Industry supply chain accreditation scheme (best practice scheme) somewhat important	Industry supply chain accreditation scheme (best practice scheme) not important	Industry supply chain accreditation scheme (best practice scheme) no comment
Export ready handling practices for growers/exporters/importers	Export ready handling practices for growers/exporters/importers very important	Export ready handling practices for growers/exporters/importers important	Export ready handling practices for growers/exporters/importers somewhat important	Export ready handling practices for growers/exporters/importers not important	Export ready handling practices for growers/exporters/importers no comment
Monitoring and measuring of practices throughout the supply chain	Monitoring and measuring of practices throughout the supply chain very important	Monitoring and measuring of practices throughout the supply chain important	Monitoring and measuring of practices throughout the supply chain somewhat important	Monitoring and measuring of practices throughout the supply chain not important	Monitoring and measuring of practices throughout the supply chain no comment

Do you have any other Fruit Handling research suggestions?

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* 1. Genetics and Propagation: please prioritise the following potential R&D activities

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* 2. Disease: please prioritise the following potential R&D activities

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* 3. Please list the main diseases of concern to you, including your location (regional level).

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* 4. Pests: please prioritise the following potential R&D activities

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* 5. Please list the main pests of concern to you, including your location (regional level).

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* 6. Crop Production: please prioritise the following potential R&D activities

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* 7. Precision Ag: please prioritise the following potential R&D activities

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* 8. Fruit Handling (post-harvest): please prioritise the following potential R&D activities

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* 9. Are there other on-farm productivity and quality research areas you believe the industry should consider?