R&D update: Irrigation upgrades eliminate bacterial disease outbreaks at Azalea Nursery
24 July 2026
24 July 2026
With the nursery industry’s increased focus on biosecurity and risk management, retail plant supplier Azalea Grove Nursery wanted to stay ahead. This came in the form of BioSecure HACCP accreditation.
Engaging with their levy-funded GrowConnex expert, the Azaela Grove team started the process at a place they hadn’t anticipated: their water management system.
Prolonged rainfall, humid conditions, and extreme weather events had triggered issues with the system and ultimately caused bacterial outbreaks and failures which impacted the nursery’s operations.
Guided by GrowConnex throughout the certification process, BioSecure HACCP highlighted the need for increased water storage capacity in light of these challenges, as well as implementing monitoring and record keeping procedures to strengthen traceability across nursery production.
The outcomes of Azalea Grove’s upgraded water treatment system was felt in:
- strengthened system confidence for the nursery
- increased testing points to ensure the irrigation network is operating at an optimal level
- prevention of major bacterial disease outbreaks linked to the irrigation system.
By going through the process of their BioSecure HACCP certification with their trusted GrowConnex expert, Azalea Grove Nursery has implemented more robust testing programs to help improve understanding of their water management systems and support overall efficiency.
These new procedures have allowed the business to adapt to rising customer and industry expectations around plant health and biosecurity.
For more information on BioSecure HACCP accreditation:
Contact your Extension Officer: www.greenlifeindustry.org.au/talk-to-an-expert
Read the full case study: https://greenlifeindustry.org.au/news/case-study-azalea
