Industries · Horticulture
Berry crops
Berry crops are an area we're interested in. Tissue culture could provide clean planting material for strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, and blackberry production — an industry where systemic viruses limit yield and longevity.
Industry background. Australian berry industries are supported by Hort Innovation through industry funds for strawberries, raspberries and blackberries, and blueberries. See Strawberry Fund, Raspberry and Blackberry Fund, and Blueberry Fund.
Why tissue culture
Berry crops are vegetatively propagated and systemically infected with viruses that reduce yield over the planting cycle. Tissue culture, often combined with virus elimination by meristem-tip culture, is the standard pathway for producing foundation-level clean planting material for modern berry varieties.
- Disease-free runners and plantlets for new plantings
- Rapid multiplication of new cultivars from small licensed starts
- Clean-stock maintenance for variety holders and nurseries
- Support for import and export of licensed berry varieties
Why this interests us
Berry propagation is an area we're interested in. If you're a grower, nursery, or breeder working in this space, we'd be glad to start a conversation.
References
- Hort Innovation industry funds: Strawberry, Raspberry & Blackberry, Blueberry.