Peer-reviewed macadamia research, each entry with a plain-language abstract so the finding is legible without the paper. Filter by topic, or narrow to open-access work you can read in full at the source.
Palakdeep Kaur, Max Cowan, Ky Mathews, Mobashwer Alam, Bruce Topp·BMC Plant Biology·
Researchers compared flower structure, reproductive timing and pollen-tube growth in macadamia cultivars in Queensland. Differences in flower spacing and timing did not explain the groups' self-fertility. Microscopy showed growth stopping within the style in incompatible pollinations, with outcomes varying between particular crosses and their reciprocal combinations. The experiment measured pollen-tube progression, not harvested yield; pollen dosage was not precisely controlled. The findings support further compatibility research, rather than a universal orchard planting prescription.
Stephen Trueman, Mark G. Penter, Kátia Sampaio Malagodi-Braga, Joel Nichols, Anushika De Silva, Adalgisa Thayne Munhoz Ramos, Leonardo Massaharu Moriya, Steven Ogbourne, David Hawkes, Trent Peters, Naga Kasinadhuni, Shahla Hosseini Bai, Helen Wallace, Wiebke Kämper·Horticulturae·
Researchers genetically assigned pollen parentage to nuts from 19 macadamia cultivars at 23 sites in Australia, Brazil and South Africa. Cross-pollination accounted for 80–100% of sampled fruit at 17 sites; other sites showed substantial variation. Cross-pollinated nuts often had better measured quality than self-pollinated nuts. The results support considering cultivar arrangement and pollinator distribution, but do not establish one hive density, planting layout or guaranteed yield gain for every orchard.
