At this time of year a lot of kiwifruit wood is sourced and moved for the use of firewood. The movement of kiwifruit wood for firewood use is covered by KVH Protocol—Other Plant Material.

Key movement controls from the Protocol are outlined below.

• Kiwifruit plant material for firewood use must not be moved from any Psa-V positive orchard or site unless prior approval from KVH has been given.
• Plant material for firewood use must not be moved between regions.
• Recovery regions—plant material for firewood use may move within the same Recovery region if sourced from ‘not-detected’ orchards.
• Containment regions—plant material for firewood use may move within the same Containment region if sourced from ‘not-detected’ orchards. However this requires authorisation by KVH prior to movement.
• Exclusion regions—plant material for firewood use may move within the same Exclusion region.

If you are unsure about the movement of plant material for firewood use, or have any queries, please contact KVH on 0800 665 825 or email info@kvh.org.nz before you move it.
 

Those who observe KVH’s weekly statistics will have noticed Psa-V has progressed in Kerikeri recently, with Psa-V identified on seven new orchards in June.

Last week Zespri’s Shane Max, KVH Operations Manager, Peter Mourits and Te Puke grower, Robbie Ellison visited growers on newly infected Kerikeri orchards to discuss the situation and options going forward. The team also held a grower meeting which was attended by more than 50 local growers.

Key points from the Kerikeri visit

• In most cases, the recently infected orchards received fewer copper sprays over the wet autumn weather than other local orchards; and infection was found in less sheltered parts of the orchard.
• Psa-V has been found in a number of young Gold3 orchards, while disease was not present in neighbouring Hort16A orchards where more regular copper has been applied. This highlights that while Gold3 is more tolerant to Psa-V it still requires regular protective sprays, particularly in wet, cool conditions.
• Growers were reminded of the importance of continuous removal of all infected material, regular protective sprays and the need for orchard hygiene.
• Psa-V progression in Hort16A has been slower than expected. This is partly attributed to the warm, dry weather earlier in the year, regular copper sprays over the wet weather and early removal of any Psa-V symptoms.
• Spray diary analysis shows Hort16A blocks in Kerikeri have had an average of nine copper applications over the last season, compared to six applications on Gold3 blocks.
• Overall, the management of low vigour males on some orchards was excellent; and its obvious Kerikeri growers are learning from experience in other regions. 
• Growers have been asked to be vigilant and carefully monitor orchards with the expectation that more orchards will express red exudate when sap starts to flow in spring.
   

During the French spring (April/May) Hayward orchards in the Tarn et Garonne area were expressing severe exudate, causing panic amongst some local growers. KVH Director Craig Thompson visited at this time to understand the situation and his report can be found in the July/August Kiwifruit Journal.

An update from Zespri’s Severine Brun in France, reports those growers who applied a consistent and robust protective spray programme over the past few years have reported little or no Psa-V symptoms; and unlike last spring in France, this spring has been kinder to French growers, with temperatures through June being warmer and drier than the 30-year average.

As a result, less Psa-V symptoms have been observed, flower loss is much lower than last year and growers are generally much more positive about the ability to continue growing kiwifruit in a Psa-V environment.

Hort16A continues to be a badly affected variety and those few growers who are still growing it are trying to achieve another harvest.

Gold3 is looking good, with very limited symptoms, mostly noticed in spring (dry canes and/or exudate on a few vines per block).