QUT announced that plant scientists and roboticists would lead an A$41 million programme covering almond, apple, macadamia, citrus and mango. Supported through Hort Innovation’s Frontiers programme, the collaboration includes Murdoch University, the University of Queensland and Western Sydney University.
Programme director Professor Peter Prentis described goals including smaller trees, useful disease resistance and more consistent flowering. Robotic vision and drone measurements were planned to capture existing trees’ flowering and structural traits, helping breeders identify desirable combinations. Straight rows and manageable tree architecture could later make automated harvesting easier. The August 2024 announcement concerned a five-year research effort; it did not report that new robot-ready varieties had already completed development or become available to growers.
