Why use Auscitrus

High health status budwood and seed
Citrus are susceptible to a number of serious graft transmissable diseases, which can be symptomless in some rootstock combinations but debilitating when infected buds are budded onto commerically used rootstocks.  Infection of nursery trees with a virus/viroid such as exocortis can cause yield reductions of up to 50% and more over time, necessitating removal of the infected trees and replanting.  In many cases a small number of infected trees in an orchard will result in widespread infection as the disease is spread through normal pruning and cultural operations.

Auscitrus budwood source trees are subjected to regular testing to ensure freedom from exocortis, psorosis and other graft transmissible pathogens. Grapefruit varieties are immunised with a mild protective strain of tristeza to protect against stem pitting. Strict hygiene procedures are adhered to in tree management, cutting of budwood and extraction of seed.

Extensive range of new varieties
The Auscitrus budwood scheme supplies an extensive range of high health status, true to type budwood and rootstock seed, including new local and imported varieties.

Horticulturally proven varieties
Most scion and rootstock varieties in the Auscitrus scheme have been included after careful selection and independent horticultural evaluation in research trials. All newly imported scion varieties undergo rapid evaluation by topworking in a range of climatic zones across Australia. Local evaluation provides crucial information to compliment overseas horticultural evaluation.

True to type budwood and seed
Budwood blocks are checked for trueness to type each year and any off-type limbs are removed immediately. Varieties that display a tendency to spontaneous mutations are removed from the scheme.

'Insurance Policy' for new plantings
Use of Auscitrus propagation material should be viewed as a valuable insurance policy for establishing new citrus plantings. Viruses and viroids such as exocortis reduce vigour and yield and this highlights the need to buy trees propagated from true-to-type, and virus-tested budwood and seed. Orchard productivity, tree uniformity and health have all improved since nurserymen have been using budwood and seed from the Australian Citrus Propagation Scheme.