KVH has updated the KVH Protocol: Budwood which is now available on the KVH website.

The movement of plant material such as budwood presents the greatest risk of spreading pathogens over long distances. This is relevant to Psa, as well as other known (and unknown) pathogens that may be present in the plant. The best practice to reduce spread of pathogens is to source budwood from your own orchard for use on the same orchard. However, where this is not possible, the budwood protocol outlines the requirements to prevent spread of Psa under the National Psa-V Pest Management Plan (NPMP), and recommended practices to reduce the likelihood of spreading other pathogens.

Changes to the protocol have been highlighted in yellow and include the following;

• Budwood must not be collected from material left on the ground after pruning.
  
• The addition of recommended practices to manage risk of spreading pathogens:

1. Monitoring vines throughout the year
2. Tagging symptomatic vines so they can be avoided when collecting budwood - and avoiding any adjacent vines in any direction.
3. Notifying KVH if a there is not an obvious cause for any unusual vine symptoms.

Phytophthora are a genus of pathogens responsible for some of the most significant biosecurity incursions around the world. They are the causal agent for numerous diseases, including Kauri dieback disease. Phytophthora could have disastrous impacts on New Zealand’s horticulture, forestry and natural ecosystems. There are hundreds of Phytophthora species around the globe and new species are discovered all the time. The risk to our industry is largely unknown, but globally phytophthora risk is considered to be increasing.

Therefore, KVH and MPI are undertaking a joint readiness programme to consider how we should prepare for an incursion and how we would respond should this occur. To launch this preparedness for phytophthora, a workshop was held last week to brainstorm current knowledge, response scenarios and knowledge gaps to be filled by research.

The workshop was also attended by members of Zespri and Plant and Food Research and the outcomes will form the basis of a GIA readiness plan using a similar process to what we did previously for Brazilian wilt, Ceratocystis fimbriata.

 MPI’s Border Space newsletter contained a photo of dirty jandals that were presented at the border by a traveller who was entering New Zealand to work in horticulture. These jandals had been used on a tomato farm in the Pacific Islands the previous day and could have contained various soil-borne pathogens. Fortunately, in this instance the traveller did the right thing and declared the dirty footwear to border staff upon arrival. The items were then cleaned appropriately.  

A previous study by AgResearch in 2010 demonstrated that a single gram of soil on an international aircraft traveller’s footwear had a greater than 50% chance of containing a regulated organism. With that in mind, the incident is a useful reminder that we ensure all visitors to our orchards enter with clean footwear, particularly if they have recently been overseas or to other regions of New Zealand.

The Queensland fruit fly was last detected in Northcote on 14 March. This find led to an increase in the on-the-ground operational response, including removal of fallen fruit from backyards, inspections of compost bins, and baiting in fruit trees to attract and kill adult flies, in particular females.

Movement restrictions for fruit and vegetables were lifted in Devonport on March 22 and Northcote on April 12.

Biosecurity New Zealand says: “All operational activities, including baiting, have been completed. However, as a precautionary measure, we will be keeping in place an enhanced network of fruit fly traps for an extended period. If fruit flies are present, these traps will detect them.” 

The latest fruit fly risk update has been published on the KVH website.

As well as the finds in Auckland, the fruit fly update details detections at the border, the national surveillance programme, and recent international responses to this unwanted pest.

KVH risk updates are published every month.

The final report covering KVH grower director Simon Cook’s Nuffield Scholarship research is available now. It covers the importance of on-farm biosecurity vigilance. Click here to read the article. 

 Although covering loads of reject fruit in a Recovery region is no longer a KVH requirement, the risk of loose plant material and fruit falling out during transit must still be managed. Plant material present the highest risk of spreading Psa and other pathogens, and fruit lost in transit could possibly contribute to the development of wild kiwifruit plantings if seed  germinates.

The truck in this photo was observed travelling on the main road with a fairly high load of reject kiwifruit and had kiwifruit leaf material flying out (see circled area, indicating one of a number of leaves observed falling from the load). Bins of reject fruit should be checked to ensure there is no obvious plant material in them and trucks should be loaded so that fruit cannot be lost in transit. Please could all post-harvest and trucking contractors ensure that loads of fruit for stock feed (and being transported to kiwifruit processors) are managed appropriately to avoid a return to compulsory covering of loads.

KVH continues to advocate strongly on behalf of the industry for strict biosecurity border controls. We back proposed Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) changes to rules for vehicles and sea containers, which will make it harder for the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) to make its way across our borders.

MPI is currently consulting on two recently-reviewed Import Health Standards (IHS) – one for the import of vehicles, machinery, and equipment; and the other for the import of sea containers.

Proposed changes include extending the list of countries that have requirements to treat vehicles, machinery and equipment imports before they arrive in New Zealand. At present, 18 countries have pre-treatment requirements. The proposed new list will increase to 33 countries.

All imported cargo related to vehicles will need to be treated offshore, including sea containers. In the past, only uncontainerised cargo required treatment before arrival.

MPI also intends to refine some of the offshore management requirements under the existing import standard for vehicles and has worked with the Australian Department of Agriculture and Water Resources to align measures, making it easier for traders and shippers to comply.

KVH will be making submissions on behalf of the kiwifruit industry, supporting increased measures to protect our industry. Growers are also able to make their own submissions.

The consultations run through to Monday 3 June. Click here to read more about proposed changes relating to vehicles, machinery, and equipment. Click here to read more about proposed changes to the import of sea containers.

You will now find us on the ground floor of the new Zespri building, just up the road from our former premises in Mount Maunganui. We have our own entrance at 25 Miro St. Please feel free to pop in and see us anytime!