The movement of plant material is considered a high-risk pathway for transporting pests and pathogens over long distances. This includes our known pests and pathogens such as Cherry leaf roll virus and Psa, but also other threats that may be present in New Zealand but not yet detected, such as Ceratocystis fimbriata.

Without biosecurity controls on internal pathways, a new pest or pathogen is likely to be widespread by the time it is detected and the window for eradication may have been missed. Because of this, all nurseries and growers must meet their biosecurity responsibilities when moving rootstocks.

There are three options available for sourcing or producing nursery plants:

• KPCS “Full Certification”
• KPCS “Restricted Certification”
• Grow for your own use – for smaller volumes and restricted movements subject to meeting risk management requirements.

All nurseries and growers must follow requirements in the KVH Protocol: Nursery Stock, which includes a summary of all movement controls. These controls are underpinned by a legal movement control notice and are enforceable under the Biosecurity Act. 

In April 2019 an independent review of the KPCS was completed. The brief of the review was to focus on the effectiveness of the scheme in managing bioseucurity risks associated with rootstock movement; to recommend future improvements; and consider how other kiwifruit plant material could be managed from a biosecurity perspective. View the full report.  
 

1. Growers

Growers wishing to purchase plants must use the list below for nurseries who have met the KPCS Full Certification requirements. 

KPCS Full Certification Nursery List

Restricted certifiicaton plants are available from nurseries named in the following list. These plants can only go to Psa-V positive orchards. View the Restricted Certification Nursery List.

A number of nurseries have indicated they intend to join the KPCS scheme for 2019-20 supply. Growers are able to order plants from nurseries in transition, however plants are not able to move off the property until the nursery has met the KPCS requirements. View the Transition Nursery List.
 

Grow for your own use

• Read the KVH Information Sheet: Growing rootstock for your own use
• Complete a KVH Biosecurity Risk Management Plan: Growing rootstock for your own use
• Submit the above plan to KVH
• Be available for KVH audit if required

A nursery is defined as any person or other entity that propagates Actinidia plant species to any age for sale or movement outside of the property. All kiwifruit nurseries are subject to specific requirements and movement controls under the NPMP. Only certified plants may be sold although growers are still able to produce plants for their own use.

Options for sourcing plants

There are two options for certified plants under the KPCS.

KPCS “Full Certification” – certified plants that meet all the testing requirements of all target organisms. These can be moved between regions in accordance with KVH movement controls.

KPCS “Restricted Certification” – plants produced under the KPCS Standard, and certified freedom from all target organisms, except the “common” NZ strain of Psa-V. Plants meet the same Standard as above and all testing requirements but may have the “common” NZ form of Psa-V, provided they are free of non-NZ Psa forms and strains resistant to Streptomycin or Copper. These plants can only be moved to Psa-V positive orchards.

Steps to achieve Certification

• Complete the KPCS Nursery Manual and submit to KVH for review
• Be independently audited
• Have plants sampled and tested by KVH annually prior to dispatch

Nursery biosecurity - best practice fact sheets

To minimise biosecurity risks across the supply chain and to assist nurseries in meeting the KPCS standard, KVH has produced a series of factsheets on biosecurity best practice for kiwifruit nurseries. An independent nursery expert has assisted KVH in developing these factsheets which are aligned with key components of the KPCS standard.

 KVH approved Psa-V testing laboratories