Centre for Horticultural Science

The devastating Banana Bunchy Top Virus nearly wiped out Queensland’s banana industry over 100 years ago. But an international team of researchers, aided by funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and led by The University of Queensland’s Associate Professor John Thomas, have developed promising strategies to protect this key food source for communities in sub-Saharan Africa and prevent further spread of the disease.

First carrots and now capsicum have been identified as good for your eyes – and it is the nutrient linked to the orange colour that counts.

Jane Ray, a PhD Candidate at the University of Queensland, travelled to Costa Rica as part of a project to identify and manage bacterial wilt diseases in bananas after being awarded a Crawford Fund Student Award by the Crawford Fund's Northern Territory Committee. She was supported in-country by the University of Costa Rica.

A project to protect the Australian lucerne seed industry from possible exotic disease incursions including alfalfa dwarf disease (ADD) has scanned lucerne paddocks for viruses associated with the damaging disease.

Australia’s native macadamia nuts are worth over $250 million in exports a year, and research to improve disease management is helping to step up the crop’s productivity to further increase its value.

Avocado farmers could start producing more fruit to keep up with demand once propagation technology, trialled in the Bundaberg Region, is commercialised.

Global leader in agricultural biotechnology wins Australia India Science, Research & Development Award 2019 at the 2019 India Australia Business & Community (IABC) Awards.

Led by the University of Queensland in collaboration with Department Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) Queensland, a five-year cross-industry project is providing research into innovative and appealing products that are highly nutritious, can be differentiated in the marketplace, and are visually attractive and flavoursome.

An 85-year-old avocado tree has played a huge role in the development of Australia’s avocado industry. In a good year it can produce one tonne of fruit and its' the foundation plant for millions of seedlings being planted around the country.