Future Orchards® Library
Increase your orchard’s competitiveness with access to best-in-class techniques and production systems and cutting-edge R&D insights.
The Future Orchards® Library offers a complete archive of field-walk notes, articles and analyses related to Future Orchards® projects, as well as quick access to current events, webinars and recently added materials.
Search The Latest Materials
Find the most recent Future Orchards® resources here or to access older resources or find information on a specific topic, visit the archive below for resources from the duration of the program.
Winter Orchard Walks and Orchard Talks – July 2026
- Creating consistent yields through structured decision points (slides) – presentation by Mark Wakefield (Mr Apple, NZ)
- Creating consistent yields through structured decision points (video) – presentation by Mark Wakefield (Mr Apple, NZ)
- 50 years of challenges and opportunities (slides) – presentation by Graham Hope (Kiwi Crunch, NZ)
- 50 years of challenges and opportunities (video) – presentation by Graham Hope (Kiwi Crunch, NZ)
- Optimising chemical thinning – Removing some of the magic arts (slides) – presentation by Jonathan Brookes and Jack Wilson (AgFirst)
- Optimising chemical thinning – Removing some of the magic arts (video) – presentation by Jonathan Brookes and Jack Wilson (AgFirst)
Spring Orchard Walks and Orchard Talks – November 2025
- Positioning your orchard for tech adoption (slides Nov 17-20) – presentation by Mario Miranda Sazo (Cornell Cooperative Extension)
- Positioning your orchard for tech adoption (slides Nov 21) – presentation by Mario Miranda Sazo (Cornell Cooperative Extension)
- Positioning your orchard for tech adoption (video) – presentation by Mario Miranda Sazo (Cornell Cooperative Extension)
- Thinning of apple fruit: mechanical fruit thinning and prediction of fruit drop (slides) – presentation by Sarah Gruntmeir (Kompetenzzentrum Obstbau Bodensee, Germany)
- Thinning of apple fruit: mechanical fruit thinning and prediction of fruit drop (video) – presentation by Sarah Gruntmeir (Kompetenzzentrum Obstbau Bodensee, Germany)
- Crop metrics though the season (slides) – presentation by Jack Wilson and Cameron Burt (AgFirst)
- Crop load metrics throughout the season (video) – presentation by Jack Wilson and Cameron Burt (AgFirst)
Winter Orchard Walks and Orchard Talks – July 2025
- Advanced tree training for orchard efficiency (slides) – presentation by Alberto Dorigoni (Trento/Friuli)
- Advanced tree training for orchard efficiency (video) – presentation by Alberto Dorigoni (Trento/Friuli)
- Building the team and setting up processes for on-farm success (slides) – presentation by Ben James (Craigmore)
- Building the team and setting up processes for on-farm success (video) – presentation by Ben James (Craigmore)
- Introducing the Future Orchards Scorecard (slides) – presentation by Ross Wilson and Jonathan Brookes (AgFirst)
- Future Orchards Scorecard template blank (Excel) – prepared by Ross Wilson and Jonathan Brookes (AgFirst)
Summer Orchard Walks and Orchard Talks – January 2025
- Climate change challenge: Strategies for apple growing in Catalonia (Spain) (slides) – presentation by Luis González Nieto, IRTA researcher, Spain
- Climate change challenge: Strategies for apple growing in Catalonia (Spain) (video) – presentation by Luis González Nieto, IRTA researcher, Spain
- 450 tonnes/ha at 6th leaf, is this possible to achieve? (slides) – presentation by Mauricio Frias, Horticultural Consultant, Chile
- 450 tonnes/ha at 6th leaf, is this possible to achieve? (video) – presentation by Mauricio Frias, Horticultural Consultant, Chile
Spring Orchard Walks and Orchard Talks – November 2024
- Apple Flower Bud Development and Return Bloom (slides) – presentation by Poliana Francescatto Ph.D., Global Technical Development Manager – PGRs for fruit crops
- Apple Flower Bud Development and Return Bloom (video) – presentation by Poliana Francescatto Ph.D., Global Technical Development Manager – PGRs for fruit crops
- What is separating the successful growers in Washington with unsuccessful growers? (slides) – presentation by Jeff Cleveringa, New Columbia Fruit Packers, Head of Orchard Operations
- What is separating the successful growers in Washington with unsuccessful growers? (video) – presentation by Jeff Cleveringa, New Columbia Fruit Packers, Head of Orchard Operations
- Maximising profitability: Improving C1 yield and finding harvest efficiencies (slides) – Cameron Burt and Sarah de Bruin (AgFirst)
- Maximising profitability: Improving C1 yield and finding harvest efficiencies (video) – Cameron Burt and Sarah de Bruin (AgFirst)
Winter Orchard Walks and Orchard Talks – July 2024
- Growing apples where (and when) it is too warm (slides) – presentation by Dr Nigel Cook, Prophyta, South Africa
- Maximising profitability by meeting market demands (slides) – presentation by Jonathan Brookes and Jack Wilson (AgFirst)
- Redland Apples, Goulburn Valley (slides) – presentation by Brent Reeve (Redland)
Spring Orchard Walks and Orchard Talks – November 2023
- Lessons with Plant Growth Regulators (slides) – presentation by Suzanne Bishop, Research and Development Manager, Allan Bros. Inc, Washington USA
- Identifying Issues in the Field: Diseases, Nutrition or Something Else? (slides) – presentation by Garrett Bishop, Manager, G.S. Long Company, Washington USA
- Nutrition optimisation for quality fruit production – Setting and achieving targets (slides) – presentation by Ross Wilson and Craig Hornblow (AgFirst)
Winter Orchard Walks and Orchard Talks – June 2023
- Maximising young trees – Setting and achieving targets (slides) – presentation by Jonathan Brookes and Ulf Kerer (AgFirst)
- Fruit growing is more than just growing fruit (slides) – presentation by Noel Mason, AG & HC Mason, Adelaide Hills
- An approach to fruit growing and developing and redeveloping orchards to ensure their profitability (slides) – presentation by Paul Vogelaar, Kiwicrunch (NZ)
Spring Orchard Walks and Orchard Talks – November 2022
- Nutrition basics (slides) – presentation by Jorika Cronje, Soil Scientist and Horticulture Consultant, South Africa
- Nutrient management for yield and fruit quality (slides) – presentation by Dr Lee Kalcsits, Tree Fruit Physiologist, Washington State University
- Integrated approach to minimising bitter pit (AFG 2022 Summer pp30-32 article on Dr Lee Kalcsits presentation)
Spring Orchard Walk and Orchard Talk – November 2021
- Fact sheet: Alternaria Control in 2021-2022 – Stephen Tancred (Qld only)
- Apple Alternaria Control (slides) – presentation by Stephen Tancred (Qld only)
- Mite resistance and deciduous fruit (slides) – presentation by Grant A. Herron and Duong Nguyen (Orange NSW only)
Pear Masterclass 2021
- Pear Masterclass 2021 – IPM Success in Pear Orchards, October 2021
- Pear Masterclass 2021 – South Australia Pear-spective, October 2021
- Pear Masterclass 2021 – Goulburn Valley Pear-spectives, October 2021
- Pear Masterclass 2021 – International Pear-spectives – South Africa, October 2021
Videos
- Crop load targets for quality fruit production, Paul Vogelaar, August 2023
- Predictors of flesh browning and fruit softening in apples, Ramandeep Singh Sidhu, July 2023
- Planning key to maximising block performance, Nic Finger and Jonathan Brookes, January 2023
- Staying on top of tree health, Nic Finger and Jorika Cronj, January 2023
- On alert for wet spring impacts, Dr Lee Kalcsits and Jonathan Brookes, December 2022
- Nutrient management for yield and fruit quality, Dr Lee Kalscits, December 2022
- Optimisation of pollination within protected cropping environments, Dr Katja Hogendoorn, December 2022
- Crop nutrition and attaining optimum fruit quality, Jorika Cronje, November 2022
- Managing pear scab, Marcel Veens, November 2022
- Simple systems to achieve orchard goals – Pt. IV Simplifying older systems, Jason Shields, May 2022
- Simple systems to achieve orchard goals – Pt. III Increasing simplicity using young quad stem trees, Jason Shields, May 2022
- Simple systems to achieve orchard goals – Pt. II: Tatura Trellis, Jason Shields, May 2022
- Simple systems to achieve orchard goals. Part 1: Fruiting walls for access, Jason Shields, May 2022
- Future Orchards® Bud Analysis, August 2020
Webinar Series
- Maturity and postharvest management (slides), Dr Hannah James, March 2025
- Maturity and postharvest management (webinar recording), Dr Hannah James, March 2025
- Apple black spot control (slides), Peter Triloff, August 2023
- Growers managing nursery tree stock risk (slides) John McDonald, August 2020
- Growers managing nursery tree stock risk (webinar recording)
- Adoption of AI technologies in horticulture (slides), Dr Zygmunt Szpak, July 2020
- Adoption of AI Technologies in Horticulture (webinar recording)
- Outcomes from US Netting trials- Presentation Slides Dr Lee Kalcsits (slides), Dr Lee Kalcsits, July 2020
- Alternative controls for apple replant disease (slides), Tianna DuPont, June 2020
- Managing through drought, lessons from other industries (slides), Mark Skewes, June 2020
- Managing through drought, lessons from other industries (webinar recording)
- Post-harvest treatment with supercharged air (slides), Dr SP Singh, May 2020
- Eco-credentials and sustainability (slides), Dr Brent Clothier & Dr Anthony Kachenko, May 2020
- Eco-credentials and sustainability (webinar recording), Dr Brent Clothier & Dr Anthony Kachenko, May 2020
Post-harvest Seminar 2020 Presentations
- Digital Fingerprints leveraging technology to build brand trust, Gavin Ger, January 2020
- Lessons learnt from the Pomewest quality and maturity testing program, Nardia Stacy, January 2020
- MRLs implications for domestic retail and export markets, Kevin Bodnaruk, January 2020
- The future of DPA: alternative treatments and decontamination, Virginia Williamson, January 2020
- Dynamic controlled atmosphere global trends and the Australian market, Tito Spaldi, January 2020
- Analysing and managing the post-harvest apple microbiome, Birgit Wassermann, January 2020
- The 2019 Fresh Produce Safety Guidelines, Jenny Ekman, January 2020
- Measuring microbial risk management, Elizabeth Frankish, January 2020
- Implementing the National Food Traceability Framework, Rose Elphick-Darling, January 2020
- The changing retail and consumer landscape: opportunities for growth, Tristan Kitchener, January 2020
Grower R&D Update 2019
- Utilising agritechnology to improve labour efficiency and fruit quality Rob Blakey, November 2019
- Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) – preparing for a security crisis, learnings from the USA, Bill Mackintosh, Grower, Mackintosh Fruit Farms
