Horticulture Industry
The Drought and Climate Adaptation Program is helping the horticulture industry across Queensland through research, development and extension activities.
Reports
Experimental forecasts to improve management decisions final report— June 2022
Horticulture project partners are making weather-related management decisions using experimental forecasts.
Report June 2022 ( PDF)
Experimental forecasts to improve management decisions final report— June 2021
Horticulture project partners are making weather-related management decisions using experimental forecasts.
Report June 2021 ( PDF)
Case Study
Heatwave Advisories improve business decisions
Demonstrating the real monetary value of improved management decisions
Sixteen collaborating vegetable and supply chain managers present examples of real monetary value savings from experimental forecast information improving their management decisions.
Report ( PDF)
Marketing and supply chain decisions improved by accurate long lead time experimental forecasts
Improved management decisions throughout the marketing and supply chain occured from experimental forecsasts.
Report ( PDF)
Have experimental forecasts informed BoM’s perception and knowledge of Queensland's horticultural industry?
BoM outlines key benefits and outcomes of an experimental forecast project for Queensland vegetable businesses.
Report ( PDF)
Extreme heat impacts on Queensland’s multi-million dollar sweet corn industry
This case study documents the commercial impacts of extreme heat on three sweet corn crops in the Lockyer Valley in November 2019.
Report ( PDF)
Extreme heat impacts on Queensland’s capsicum industry
This case study documents the commercial impacts of extreme heat in a Lockyer Valley capsicum crop in the summer of 2018-19.
Report ( PDF)
Articles
- Improved forecasts helping our vegetable industry thrive
- Using BoM’s forecasts to improve management decisions for the vegetable industry
Tools
Learn about experimental seasonal forecasts for Queensland’s vegetable industry.
Uses weather observations from the Long Paddock SILO to provide historical temperature, rainfall and evaporation observations and to calculate a range of temperature thresholds, chilling and growth potential.
Enables growers of horticultural crops to calculate their Carbon Footprint. Electricity used for irrigation and refrigeration to cool produce, fuel used in farming operations, nitrogenous fertilizers and crop residues are the major on-farm contributors to GHG emissions in horticulture. This tool allows the grower to see what is making the highest contribution and to compare their emissions with similar sized enterprises and other agricultural sectors.
Projects
Use of BoM multi-week and seasonal forecasts to improve management decisions in Queensland’s vegetable industry
Queensland’s’ Lockyer Valley and Granite Belt vegetable producers and supply chain managers are testing new experimental forecast tools. Improved forecasts have the capacity to build sustainability through improving farm, business and labour management decisions.
Read more (PDF)Natural disaster resilience program: floods
An innovative online course is now available to assist farmers across Queensland to develop flood mitigation and resilience management plans for their properties. The education resource features information specific to the horticulture and dairy industries including an introduction to flood mapping, understanding of soil health and nutritional issues and financial and risk management.
