To study problems of citrus growing and research in citriculture

Ian Tolley travelled to Israel, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the United States of America to study problems of citrus growing and research in citriculture.

As a developing Citrus Nurseryman and Grower Ian wanted to find ongoing sources of information and to make personal connection with citrus specialists world-wide. He visited Singapore & Malaysia for a citrus marketing understanding, then a major visit to Israel to study a full picture of Citriculture and particularly Nursery tree production technicalities and irrigation technology. London’s Covent Garden Marketing was a stepping off point to the USA and the study path started in Washington State Research Centre, to Florida, Texas, Arizona and the University of California where Ian stayed a number of weeks on campus, the world centre of Citrus production and technology. A brief visit to a tropical citrus specialist in Hawaii, then to New Zealand’s North Island citrus industry and home in 5 months!

Three major highlights:

1. Being able to subsequently bring Israel’s inventor of drip irrigation technology to Australia for his ideas to be adapted and adopted.
2. An epiphany or light bulb moment of clarity that water issues would become the world’s major issue.
3. Constant approval from the world’s best citrus experts that asking so many questions was OK. This gave Ian the confidence to never stop asking questions.

While at the Washington State Citrus Research Station Ian was invited to viewing on one of the world’s first Electron microscopesIan was invited at the Washington State Citrus Research Station into viewing, on one of the world’s first Electron microscopes, live Exocortis virus.

Ian has learnt that being passionate about your interests excite others to goals they may have felt were perhaps not achievable. The power of one surrounded by positivity is still, in his view, the path to success. In 1999 he was asked to write a small 80 page fully colour illustrated booklet, called Citrus for Everyone. In the 20years since, it has never been out of print. This led to devoting the past 10years of activity into producing what some have told him is a masterpiece with no equivalent, named Common Sense Citrus of 228 pages with 500 illustrations.

Ian is constantly sought for factual help and ran Masterclasses and Workshops throughout Southern Australia.

In 1995 Ian was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for service to horticulture, particularly the citrus industry.