Articles
THE AUSTRALIAN FRUIT VARIETY FOUNDATION AND ITS ROLE IN SUPPLYING VIRUS-TESTED PLANTING MATERIAL TO THE FRUIT INDUSTRY
Cultivars of these fruit species must be virus-tested for important virus diseases, be of known horticultural performance, and show trueness to variety.
The FVF concept is based on similar schemes such as the IR-2, EMLA and INRA.
Originally, the FVF was to be a single concept, including the multiplication stages, operating at a single site for the entire country.
However, interstate quarantine restrictions on the movement of plant material prompted some states to request individual multiplication units financed from FVF funds.
Industry also had reservations on its financial commitment and staff problems associated with the isolation of the planned complex were anticipated.
These problems were overcome in 1970 by locating the FVF facilities at existing Department of Agriculture Research Institutes.
This meant that the responsibility of operating the FVF was divided between three states as follows:
| Victoria | – Peaches, nectarines, apricots and grapevines |
| New South Wales | – Plums, prunes, almonds, cherries, citrus and |
| avocados | |
| Tasmania | – Apples, pears and quinces |
In the scheme, two plants of each clone are maintained in these foundation plantings; the numbers of clones currently in each are set out below:
| Fruit type | Location | Maintenance | Number of clones |
| Peach | Burnley, Victoria | Screenhouse | 72 |
| Nectarine | Burnley, Victoria | Screenhouse | 6 |
| Apricot | Burnley, Victoria | Screenhouse | 3 |
| Grapevine | Mildura, Victoria | Field | 113 |
| Plum/prune | Rydalmere, N.S.W. | Screenhouse | 16 |
| Cherry | Rydalmere, N.S.W. | Screenhouse | 22 |
| Almond | Rydalmere, N.S.W. | Screenhouse | 2 |
| Citrus | Dareton, N.S.W. | Field | 20 |
| Avocado | Gosford, N.S.W. | Field | 11 |
| Apple | Grove, Tasmania | Screenhouse | 64 |
| Pear | Grove, Tasmania | Screenhouse | 12 |