Bayberry bonanza

In 2013, Queensland Country Life reported on the efforts of Queensland researchers and a select group of growers to get the Chinese fruit established as a viable commercial crop in Australia.

Red bayberries are typically deep red in colour when ripe and about the size of a lychee. They have a soft, juicy texture and a central seed about the size of a cherry stone.

Initial customer taste tests in Australia proved positive. The fruit is very juicy, with a good sugar-to-acid ratio with a slight resinous note.

The research orchard at the Maroochy Research Facility near Nambour was harvested last November, boosting confidence among project managers about the potential for the fruit.

The fruit's adaptability is being further pushed with sites established in Applethorpe in Queensland and Manjimup in Western Australia.

More than 120 trees were sent to Victoria in the early stages of the four-year program to establish the largest red bayberry planting trial in Australia to date. Research officer in the University of Queensland School of Agriculture and Food Sciences Dr Melinda Perkins said the Victorian season was later than Queensland's.

"Last year there was a very small amount of fruit production and we are waiting to see what this season brings," she said. "Past experience has shown us that trees take longer to become productive in this cooler climate."

Some newly planted trial trees in Victoria suffered in the 2013-14 heatwave and were replaced. Original trial sites in Atherton and Yeppoon have delivered their first fruit and have been assessed for quality. Hot, dry weather last year was expected to hinder fruit production but turned out to have little impact on the harvest, assisted by some supplementary irrigation.

The trees reportedly produced quality fruit in substantial numbers.

The project has been a collaboration between the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited (HIA) and YV Fresh, a co-operative of berry growers based in Victoria's Yarra Valley.

The project has been funded by HIA, with co-investment from Plant Varieties Australia and funds from the federal government.

Dr Perkins said further research had shown Australian red bayberry trees could naturally develop active nitrogen-fixing root nodules.

"While it is well known that root nodules arise from a symbiosis with Frankia bacteria, it was not known whether the strains of this bacteria present in Australian soils were compatible with red bayberry," she said.

"Trees that possess such root nodules will require little, if any, nitrogen fertiliser."

It's not all smooth sailing, though. The ability to propagate trees on a commercial scale is an issue.

Grafting of elite cultivars onto seedling rootstock is the traditional means of propagation for red bayberry in China.

In Australia, grafting has also been successfully employed, but the seed for rootstocks can be difficult to germinate.

"Although there are seed treatments that can overcome this problem, they tend to be very labour intensive," Dr Perkins said.

"We've recently developed a low-cost technique that provides high germination rates within a relatively short time. This is good news for industry as it will mean lower production costs for the trees."

Future research will focus on improvements to propagation to help establish commercial orchards in the next few years.

"We are working hard with our industry partner Plant Varieties Australia and commercial propagators to help achieve this goal," Dr Perkins said. "We will also continue to screen cultivars according to their performance in the various climatic regions across Australia."

Work is also being done on post-harvest treatments to extend the fruit's shelf life.