Early detection of Phytophthora in macadamia orchards

The problem

The grower regularly uses his Tree Insights to monitor low-lying areas vulnerable to Phytophthora, where drainage is poor and water tends to accumulate.

He created a route on the Aeroview platform to investigate an area where he suspected the disease to be prevalent and followed it on the ground using the Aeroview InField mobile app.

The grower found paled yellow leaves, branch dieback, dwarfed trees and deposits of fresh sand, which indicated a constant movement of water channels through the area when it rains.

Pests often target trees that are under stress, and the trees infected with Phytophthora also had macadamia nut borer damage.

Trees that are weakened by pests and diseases can be difficult to manage as the infection and infestations tend to outpace the trees’ ability to cope. 

The solution

With the affected trees detected, diagnosed and quantified, the grower went on to make data-driven decisions that would improve the health of the orchard and save trees that would otherwise have been lost.