‘No panic’ over Psa in Whangarei
The kiwifruit disease Psa has reached Whangarei, but authorities believe they can manage the impacts.
‘‘This isn’t a panic situation,’’ Kiwifruit Vine Health (KVH) chief executive Barry O’Neil said.
In 2010 Psa devastated orchards in the Bay of Plenty, in particular hitting the gold variety Hort16A which is the most susceptible variety to the disease.
O’Neil said only one orchard had received a positive Psa-V test result in a Whangarei orchard, but KVH would be undertaking monitoring measures over the weekend.
This is the first time the bacteria has been detected in the area that contains 49 orchards and approximately 144 canopy hectares.
The total area planted in kiwifruit in New Zealand is about 13,000 ha.
Psa has already arrived in Northland, in Kerikeri and Kumeu orchards.
O’Neil said it was surprising that Whangarei had remained free of the disease up until now, and attributed that to the care growers had taken to keep their orchards safe.
Despite the damage Psa caused the industry, it has bounced back. The biggest kiwifruit grower, Seeka, packed a record amount of fruit this season, and Zespri export returns for 2014-15 were up 18 per cent on the previous year.
O’Neil said that growers would need to look at switching to more resilient kiwifruit plants, but that change would result in additional costs and loss of income.
KVH will be meeting with growers after the weekend to discuss further protective measures.
Growers in the Whangarei area are advised to:
Monitor orchards extensively and report any suspicious Psa-V symptoms to KVH on 0800 665 825.
Maintain strict orchard hygiene procedures as per KVH Best Practice: Orchard Hygiene. Refer to www.kvh.org.nz/hygiene.
Implement and maintain a protective spray programme. KVH recommends a copper spray application as soon as possible. Refer to the spring spray programme in the Psa-V Seasonal Management Guide available on the KVH website www.kvh.org.nz/seasonal_advice.
No kiwifruit plant material, including budwood and nursery stock, along with any potentially contaminated orchard equipment, can be moved between orchards.