This orchard resulted from nearly two decades of collaborative research by Murdoch University, the Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM), Alcoa World Alumina Australia and Edith Cowan University.

Early inoculation trials carried out by CALM research scientist, Mr Mike Stukely, established that some jarrah trees are more resistant than others to dieback disease, caused by the root rotting pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi.

Based on this research, Associate Professor Jen McComb (Murdoch University) and Dr Ian Bennett (Murdoch University, now at Edith Cowan University) developed techniques to clone and propagate the highly resistant plants.

The clones have been used to test the field resistance of the selections and for establishment of pilot seed orchards.

Alcoa’s senior research scientist Dr Ian Colquhoun coordinates the Dieback Resistant Jarrah Project Team, and Alcoa has supported this research since its inception. Alcoa has also supplied the universities with clones from its propagation facility at Dwellingup for research projects conducted by Dr Giles Hardy and Associate Professor Jen McComb on the mechanisms of infection and survival of the pathogen and the plant’s mechanisms of resistance.

The seed orchard will be managed by the Forest Products Commission.

Originally, Alcoa had planned to use dieback resistant jarrah trees in the rehabilitation of their mine pits.

However, Dr Colquhoun and his Murdoch University colleagues found that unselected jarrah trees established from broadcast seed survive and grow well in these rehabilitated mine pits – irrespective of the presence of P. cinnamomi. Jarrah is the dominant tree in all of Alcoa’s rehabilitated areas.

The seed from the orchard will be used by CALM and Alcoa to rehabilitate dieback affected forest areas and for more field trials to investigate resistance mechanisms.

Eventually dieback resistant jarrah trees will be available for private purchase.

The Hon. Geoff Prosser (Federal Member for Forests) planted the first tree in the Forest Products Commission Plant Propagation Centre on July 25, to mark the opening of the orchard.