Explore the wide variety of fruits that can be grown in warm climates and learn how to produce tropical fruit to follow a passion or as a professional to establish or manage commercial fruit production.
Certificate of Fruit Production – Warm Climate is an online professional development course that explores how to successfully grow tropical fruits in a warm climate.
Throughout this fruit production course, you will learn about tropical fruit varieties, growing techniques, soils, pruning and harvesting for commercial production or self-sufficiency.
You will also discover how many fruits can be adapted to cooler climates using containers or greenhouses, how to establish an orchid, manage weeds, pests and disease, cultural management of a fruit plantation and marketing and selling your produce.
On completion of this course, you will have extended your plant skills for personal use or to establish and manage a commercial fruit production business (warm climates).
Course Structure
Unit - Fruit Production – Warm Climate
Unit 1 – Introduction to warm climate fruit growing
- Deciding what to grow
- Helpful information
- Networking
- Scope of Warm climate fruit crops
- Review of main groups: citrus, berries, nuts, vines and other fruits.
- Understanding plant naming (common names and scientific names)
- Plant divisions
- Hybrids, varieties and cultivars
- How tropical fruits are related to each other
- List of tropical fruit families
- The botany of a fruit
- Where fruits come from
- Modification of fruits
- Types of dry fruits
Unit 2 – Establishing an orchard
- Establishing an orchard
- Developing a plan
- Choosing a site
- Site characteristics (soil and drainage)
- Climate (temperature, rainfall, frosts and evaporation)
- Calculating rainfall
- Pests and diseases
- Existing vegetation
- Water sources
- Understanding soils
- Improving soils
- Organic matter
- Soil nutrition elements
- Soil testing
- Warm climate fruits – Avocado Banana, Citrus, Cocao, Coffee, Macadamia and Paw Paw
Unit 3 – General cultural practices
- Fertilisers and nutrition
- Major elements
- Minor elements
- Total salts
- Pests
- Preventative measures
- Understanding diseases
- Stages in the development of a diseases
- Fungal diseases – tropical fruit trees
- Viruses and virus control
- List of diagnosis plant disorders
- Pests and pest problems on fruit trees
- Specific fruit tree problems
- Cultivation
- Weed control
- Frost and sun protection
- Drainage
- Pruning (preventing problems)
- How to prune fruit trees
- Pruning tools
Unit 4 – Tree fruits
- Avocado
- Banana
- Star Fruit (Carambola)
- Custard Apple
- Durian
- Jackfruit
- Lychee
- Mango
- Mangosteen
- Rambutan
- Sapodila
- White Sapote
- Paw Paw
Unit 5 – Nuts, vines and berries
- Strawberries
- Solanum (bush tomatoes or kangaroo apple)
- Pepino
- Tamarillo
- Lilly Pilly
- Passionfruit
- Coconut
- Macadamia
- Peanuts
- Pecan nut
- Pistachio nut
- Cashew nut
- Brazil nut
Unit 6 – Citrus and other fruits
- Citrus
- Tolerance to different climates
- Rules for growing citrus (problems and remedies)
- The citrus family – Rutaceae
- How to grow healthy citrus
- List of citrus fruits –
- Lemon
- Grapefruit
- Mandarin
- Tangelo
- Sweet Orange
- Meyer Lemon and other Lemons
- Limes
- Figs
- Olives
- Guava
- Pineapple
Unit 7 – Cultural management of a fruit plantation or orchard
- Flow charting a crop
Unit 8 – Marketing your produce
- Considering your market
- Who might you sell to?
- Market Research – steps
- Gathering information
- What do you need to research?
- Cost efficiency
- Cost of production
- Profit
- Sales price
- Quality standards
- Potential for a tropical fruit crop
- Consumer potential
Study Hours
Estimated duration 50 hours
Course Delivery and Start
Start anytime, self-paced and 100% online
Assessment
Assessment will be comprised of written exercises, including short-answer questions, reflective tasks, short reports and/or projects. There are no examinations or due dates for assessment. As a result, you can complete training in your own time and at your own pace with the assistance of unlimited tutor support.
Course FAQs
Why Choose Australian Online Courses?
- Professional development that is widely recognised and respected;
- Improve your employment opportunities;
- Study online, anywhere via our elearning system;
- High-quality professional development programs written by industry experts;
- All course materials provided online – no textbooks to buy;
- Unlimited tutor support via email;
- We offer twelve (12) months’ access, with extensions available upon application (fees apply);
- Course may be tax deductible; see your tax advisor.
Are there any entry requirements or pre-requisites?
There are no entry requirements or pre-requisites for entry into this program.
How long will it take to complete this course?
The approximate study hours for this course is 50 hours. We offer twelve (12) months’ access, with extensions available upon application (fees apply).
Can I purchase optional printed materials?
While printed materials are not available for purchase, PDF copies are available for download and self-printing for this program.
When can I start this course?
You can start within 60 minutes during business hours when you enrol and pay in full with a credit card!
Credit card: Within 60 mins during business hours.
BPAY: Within 1-2 working days.
Internet Banking: Within 1-2 working days.
Cheque/Money Order: Upon receipt of mailed cheque.
Will I receive a certificate upon completion of this course?
Yes! You will receive a Certificate of Attainment upon successful completion of your assessment.
Do I need to attend classes or undertake any work placements?
No. All courses are delivered online via our e-learning system and there are no work placement requirements in this course.
What support can I expect from Australian Online Courses?
Unlimited tutor support is available throughout your studies via email during business hours Monday to Friday. Our Administrative team are available Monday to Friday via email, live chat and telephone.
I am an international student. Can I enrol into this course?
Yes! We accept enrolments from individuals both within Australia and internationally; location is no barrier to entry into our programs.
Payment Options
Visa, Mastercard, BPAY and Direct Deposit
Career Pathways
Future growth
Strong
Unemployment
Low
Professional Development for:-
- Gardeners
- Fruit farmer
- Hobby farmers
- Horticulturalists
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