Developing management strategies to enhance the recovery of horticulture from bushfires (AS19002)
Summary
In response to the devastating 2020 bushfires in NSW and SA, this project set out to understand the immediate and long-term impacts of fires on perennial cropping systems – primarily apple orchards, with findings relevant to other tree crops. It aimed to identify the most effective recovery strategies and develop practical methods to minimise the damage from future bushfire events.
The project evaluated different fire types (radiant vs. smouldering), pruning strategies, and crop reduction techniques across experimental sites in Batlow and the Adelaide Hills, with damage levels ranging from fire-free to extreme. Vegetative and reproductive recovery parameters were collected for 3–4 growing seasons after the bushfire and fruit quality at harvest was assessed. Apple storage and shelf-life performance were monitored for two growing seasons post-fire. Other assessments included perennial tissue non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) levels and tree nutrient status.
Key findings include:
- Trees exposed to radiant fire fully recovered by the second growing season post-fire, while those damaged by smouldering fires did not recover and eventually died.
- Cutting trees back to the trunk required four seasons for full canopy recovery.
- Tree poling emerged as the most efficient and easy-to-implement method for re-establishing damaged orchards and attaining optimum yield, regardless of fire type.
- Heat stress from smouldering fires disrupts tree physiology and NSC dynamics by reducing assimilation and NSC root reserves.
This work provides clear, evidence-based guidance on tree recovery strategies and practical ways to build bushfire resilience in orchards. It delivered the first in-depth international scientific review of bushfire impacts on horticulture, offering strategies to minimise damage from increasingly frequent extreme fire events. Insights have been widely shared through field days, workshops, and seminars, with outcomes presented at international conferences. A dedicated bushfire recovery manual now supports growers with practical information on assessing damage, implementing recovery measures, and strengthening orchard resilience for the future.
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Access the Bushfires in orchards: a guide to preparedness, response and recovery here.