Nature's complete food

Description: Episode of Series “The Researchers”. In the rainforests of Central America grows a most unusual tree. It produces nature’s most complete food…the avocado. The avocado tree grows quite happily in temperate Australia, but it doesn’t always produce good crops. CSIRO scientist Dr Margaret Sedgley has been finding out why. The avocado’s erratic behaviour seems due to adverse temperatures. CSIRO’s research has focused on the two most important varieties - smooth-skinned Fuerte, and rough-skinned hass. North-western Victoria is an important new area for avocado growing. Here the researchers are looking at another problem. Irrigation water from the Murray may cause salt damage to trees at certain times of the year. Whether it’s possible to solve some of these problems of growing avocados in Australian conditions, only time and further research will tell.