Project Overview

• We are working with Australian pine nurseries and growers to reduce disease in young trees and to rebuild a healthy root microbiome.

• Many nurseries lose a large share of seedlings each year to root and needle diseases. Our goal is to minimize those losses and secure a reliable supply of robust planting stock.

• We test practical combinations of fertiliser, fungicide, and helpful microbes so seedlings can resist disease without relying on heavy chemical inputs.

• The work targets important nursery seedling diseases such as Fusarium and Nectriaceae root rots and Botrytis on needles.

• Trials run both in controlled facilities and inside commercial nurseries, followed by field planting to check survival and early growth in real conditions.

• Expected benefits include lower production costs for nurseries, more healthy seedlings leaving the gate, and stronger establishment after planting. The projected industry value is about $1.5 million each year.

• By using only the nutrients and fungicides that are needed, we aim to reduce chemical run-off and the spread of pathogens from nurseries into forests.

• We also explore new options that may suit Australian conditions, such as beneficial root fungi, naturally occurring fungal “hyperparasites,” and RNA-based sprays that disarm pathogens.

• Clear, evidence-based guidelines for nutrition and fungicide practice in nurseries will be shared with industry partners and the wider sector.

• The project brings together Western Sydney University, NSW Department of Primary Industries, and major growers in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, and South Australia.

• Findings are communicated through reports, open-access publications, and a hands-on grower workshop to support adoption.

• The big picture of the project is simple. Healthier seedlings at the nursery stage lead to more resilient pine plantations and a stronger, more sustainable forest industry.