Overview
The Cherry Testbed at the Orange Agricultural Institute was established in 2022. The Testbed is a showcase of best practice management and technology for cherry production and processing. It will produce a commercial harvest and will also be “research ready” for future research opportunities with industry.
Expressions of Interest are open to companies to participate in a variety of on- site initiatives and in collaboration with Agriculture and Biosecurity and others on the Testbed.
Opportunities for technology companies include demonstration trials and collaborative R&D around your product. If you wish to apply to have your product displayed within the Testbed please fill out the Request for Opportunity Form below
Opportunities for producers include education days but also advisory into future design and new initiatives to be showcased at the Cherry Testbed.
The Testbed site aims are to:
- Demonstrate to producers the performance and value of cherry varietals suitable for the region and nationally
- Connect producers and demonstrate best practice management
- Increase community and stakeholder engagement; and
- Provide education and training.
The key best practice features of the Testbed site will include:
- Mix of current commercial varietals and future demand varietals
- Comparative trellising arrays, irrigation systems and canopy systems
- Technology systems for water, soils and climate and tree production
- Diagnostics for tree health, disease and pest management
- Data collation and analysis for performance monitoring
- Ag tech trial opportunities for auto harvesting, robotics and crop assessment technologies
- Demonstration of zero waste and low carbon approaches to production and packaging
- Packing sheds for harvesting, packaging and on farm phytosanitary prototypes and technologies
These features will be developed in consultation with a Producer Advisory Panel and peak bodies to ensure relevance to NSW and Australian production environment.
For more information contact:
Jessica Fearnley | Development Officer—Temperate Fruits Horticulture
NSW Agriculture and Biosecurity | Orange Agricultural Institute
1447 Forest Road | Orange NSW 2800
M: 0437 284 010
E: jessica.fearnley@dpi.nsw.gov.au
W: www.dpi.nsw.gov.au
Work with us on the OAI Cherry Testbed
Contact us if your interested in utilising our cherry testbed based at Orange Agriculture Institute.
OAI Cherry Testbed