Water-smart by nature
While Australia’s climate can be harsh, macadamias are not only able to withstand the challenges, they’re also ideally adapted to them as it’s in this environment that they first evolved. You could say, we have a home ground advantage.
Scientific analysis of sap flow data from Australian macadamia orchards has revealed that macadamia trees use available water more efficiently than previously estimated.1 This efficiency is due to the tree’s clever internal water management system that closes stomatal pores during times of low moisture, reducing water loss and making the tree resilient to its environment, particularly drought. Evolved over millions of years in Australian environments, macadamias are naturally adapted to variable rainfall and challenging climates.
Across the industry, growers are applying these insights through advanced irrigation systems and refined water management practices. Macadamias are a relatively low water-use, low-input crop compared with many others, and this inherent efficiency allows growers to minimise intervention while maintaining consistent production. Ongoing research continues to inform further gains, helping the industry fine-tune irrigation scheduling and optimise every drop.
Growers also invest in diverse vegetation within and around orchards along riparian zones. Through natural orchard management practices, they protect water quality, mitigate runoff and use inputs efficiently. Macadamias are also leading the way in Reef Certified farming in macadamia Reef catchments, reflecting the industry’s strong stewardship of land and water in regions that border the Great Barrier Reef.
1 Summer 2019 AMS Bulletin Volume 47 Number 4, Tree Water Management Special Feature, Dr Dan Manson, Tree Physiologist and Theunis Smit, Horticulturist
