Hundreds of growers and people attending this year’s Mystery Creek Fieldays have visited the Zespri tent over the last two days to sample fruit and hear from Zespri, KVH and NZKGI representatives during the daily lunchtime presentations.

KVH operational and biosecurity staff are available on site with information about KVH and its Psa-V and biosecurity roles.

Feedback from growers has been very positive, with many growers keen to share their knowledge and experience on how they are protecting their orchards.

For those planning on attending the Fieldays, KVH will be onsite again tomorrow (Friday) and Chief Executive Barry O’Neil will be giving a short update during the lunchtime presentations.

Click here for more information about Mystery Creek Fieldays.

Due to the severe storm being experienced around the country, growers should be protecting their vines by applying a protective copper spray as soon as possible following the rain. Storm damage, including multiple leaf scars from leaves being stripped from vines, create Psa-V entry points.

Copper applications have shown to be the most effective control of Psa-V during the post-harvest and dormancy periods.

Follow label instructions and use winter rates.

Growers with high-risk blocks, including those showing Psa-V infection and young vines, may also consider antibacterial products.

As advised in the KVH Bulletin (29 May) nurseries can now certify their kiwifruit plants to the Core Standard under the Kiwifruit Plant Certification Scheme (KPCS).

This means growers will soon be able to purchase certified kiwifruit plants from participating nurseries, giving them assurance they are investing in the best possible start when establishing new vines.  

Click here for a short information brochure about the KPCS and its benefits; or go to www.kvh.org.nz/kpcs.
 

The second border pathway to feature the KVH profile series is International Mail. Each year 40 to 50 million mail items are processed at New Zealand’s International Mail Centre, located near Auckland Airport. MPI’s biosecurity team use risk profiling, x-rays and detector dogs to screen and process incoming mail on this pathway and seize around 40,000 biosecurity risk items annually.

Mail is considered a low risk pathway for the entry of fruit fly host items; and in the past 12 months only one fruit fly host item has been intercepted on this pathway. However, as a precautionary measure in response to this year’s Queensland Fruit Fly finds in Whangarei, MPI have increased detector dog presence to 100 percent coverage for all high risk mail items.

Click here to learn more about how biosecurity is managed on the international mail pathway.

Using Gold3 potted plants, this trial was to determine the efficacy of a range of elicitors and forchlorfenuron products in inducing a plant immune response to Psa-V.

All the elicitors, except Alexin, significantly reduced leaf spot in Gold3 group up to 37 days post Psa-V inoculation (p < 0.05). None of the elicitors significantly reduced secondary symptoms. Actigard™, which was used as a positive control, had the greatest effect in reducing leaf spotting and secondary symptoms compared with the Psa-V group.

Testing the products in this trial on other kiwifruit varieties may result in a different response to ones observed in this trial, as an elicitor response may be kiwifruit variety-specific.

Click here to read the full report on ‘Latest R&D Reports’ on the KVH website.

The Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines (ACVM) group within the Ministry for Primary Industries has approved a limited-label claim for KeyStrepto™ for use as a Psa-V protectant on producing and non-producing kiwifruit vines.

• Between 13 June and 31 July 2014, KeyStrepto™ use is permitted with a Justified Approval (JA).
• A JA is not required from 31 July 2014 until seven days before the first kiwifruit flowers opening (male or female).
• KeyStrepto™ must not be used during flowering.
• Post-flowering until 28 February 2015 – KeyStrepto use is permitted on non-producing vines only and a JA is required.

The conditions of use for KeyStrepto™ include:

• KeyStrepto™ is permitted for use in the North Island only.
• Must be applied at the label rate. For concentrate spraying adjust rates accordingly.
• AI nozzles must be used until the canopy develops. Apply with a suitable adjuvant.
• A maximum of four applications of KeyStrepto may be made per season.
• No more than six antibiotic applications (Kasumin® and KeyStrepto) in total per season can be made.
• Do not apply more than two consecutive sprays of KeyStrepto™ before applying a different Psa-V control product.

Growers must refer to the KeyStrepto™ User Guide for detailed rules of use, including sward management, notification, signage, record keeping etc.

Zespri will once again test 100 percent of supplying orchards for more than 300 residues – including antibiotics – in the 2015 season.