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Biosecurity News

15 December 2016

KVH last week facilitated it’s twice-annual KiwiNet workshop, with around 35 participants from MPI and industry stakeholders in attendance. The aim of the workshop was to engage with the group,...

KVH last week facilitated it’s twice-annual KiwiNet workshop, with around 35 participants from MPI and industry stakeholders in attendance. The aim of the workshop was to engage with the group, inform them of emerging biosecurity threats and to discuss ways KiwiNet will be involved for any future responses.

The group was presented with information by MPI’s Rory MacLellan and Lindi Eloff on emerging risks to the industry, such as Spotted Wing Drosophila and Red Vented Bulbul.

The main focus of the workshop was the Ceratocystis fimbriata exercise. For this exercise, the draft Readiness Plan was tested, to raise awareness of how we might respond; identifying practical issues and knowledge gaps to be addressed going forward. A scenario was presented and background information given, while representatives from KVH, Zespri, MPI and Plant and Food Research role-played to determine what the Kiwinet involvement would be and possible response strategies to the situation. Ceratocystis fimbriata is a fungal pathogen considered one of the most serious biosecurity threats to the kiwifruit industry.

Biosecurity News

15 December 2016

Northpower services a large area of the electricity distribution network, including the important Whangarei Exclusion Region. Contractors trim vegetation and dig into the soil on many...

Northpower services a large area of the electricity distribution network, including the important Whangarei Exclusion Region. Contractors trim vegetation and dig into the soil on many properties, including within kiwifruit orchards. Northpower has routinely done the right thing; removing vegetation and sterilising equipment between orchards.

KVH addressed Northpower contract crews at one of their regular team meetings, and provided an update on practical steps to prevent pests spreading via soil, vegetation or contaminated tools. It also gave KVH the opportunity to increase the contractor’s knowledge of soil-borne pathogens such as the Brazilian wilt disease, Ceratocystis fimbriata, or the potentially harmful Phytophthora pathogens.

KVH appreciates the pro-active management and cooperation of Northpower to protect the kiwifruit industry from harmful pests.

Biosecurity News

15 December 2016

The number of challenges facing MPI at the border is increasing every year. From a volume and risk point of view, this summer is likely to exceed any that have come before. 1.3 million...

The number of challenges facing MPI at the border is increasing every year. From a volume and risk point of view, this summer is likely to exceed any that have come before.

1.3 million passengers are expected to arrive during December and January, along with 41,487 container consignments and 300 consignments of nursery stock. This, as well as other mail, cargo, cruise vessels and small craft due to arrive on our shores, presents a mammoth task for MPI.

Risk is also elevated as it is the time of year when fruit flies and Brown Marmorated Stink Bug – two of our greatest threats – are most likely to enter the country.

Due to these expectations, MPI has taken the steps to ensure the risk passenger pathway is working effectively, including a significant change to the layout of the biosecurity area at Auckland International Airport. More space has been confirmed to allow for x-ray machines, biosecurity dogs and better passenger segmentation.

Discussions are also being held surrounding changes in passenger demographics and behaviours, with the amount of food passengers are bringing in increasing all the time. Whilst most of it is compliant, significant resources are needed to inspect, identify and clear the items.

KVH commends the work MPI is doing to prevent unwanted pests and organisms entering New Zealand.

Biosecurity News

15 December 2016

If T. japonicas was to be imported to help combat an arrival of BMSB, it is important to understand potential impacts to New Zealand’s current shield bug population. Plant and Food...

If T. japonicas was to be imported to help combat an arrival of BMSB, it is important to understand potential impacts to New Zealand’s current shield bug population.

Plant and Food Research need a supply of shield bugs to test whether T. japonicus parasitises them as well as BMSB. You can help! If you detect any of the following (pictured right):

· Brown Shield Bug

· Glossy Shield Bug

· Spiny Shield Bug

If you detect any of these bugs, please courier them to:

Sophie Hunt

c/o Plant & Food Research

120 Mt Albert Road

Mt Albert

Auckland 1025

Biosecurity News

15 December 2016

New Zealand imports a range of fruit over the summer period to complement what we produce here. While measures are in place to prevent entry of pests and diseases on this pathway, we can strengthen the system and further reduce the risk by not taking imported fruit on to orchards or discarding waste material near vines.

In many cases, an unwanted organism will not survive if it happens to penetrate our borders unless it comes into contact with host material – so don’t give it a helping hand.

KVH is also working with importers to raise awareness of what they should be looking out for and the importance of biosecurity to our industry, as well as working alongside MPI to ensure we understand risk and that this is appropriately managed across import pathway. R&D is an important component of this and KVH and Zespri are funding a number of research projects in New Zealand and offshore as part of our Biosecurity Research Portfolio.

Image: White Peach Scale is one pest which could find its way to NZ in imported fruit

Click here to learn more about White Peach Scale and other offshore risks.

Biosecurity News

15 December 2016

Psa can be spread through movement of infected plant material, including budwood. Presently there is no effective way to ‘clean’ infected material or guarantee the Psa status of any...

Psa can be spread through movement of infected plant material, including budwood. Presently there is no effective way to ‘clean’ infected material or guarantee the Psa status of any material.

All suppliers of budwood must register with KVH and complete a biosecurity risk management plan, recording all budwood movements. The movement of infected plant material is not permitted.

Movement controls restrict the movement of budwood within and between regions.

These movement controls are underpinned with a legal notice, available on the KVH website, of which failure to comply may result in a prosecution under the Biosecurity Act 1993.

To find out more about Budwood protocols, click here.

Biosecurity News

12 December 2016

Chief Executive Barry O'Neil last week attended a workshop hosted by NZ Wine Growers, where Dr Mark Hoddle from the University of Southern California presented on proactive biocontrol. Dr...

Chief Executive Barry O'Neil last week attended a workshop hosted by NZ Wine Growers, where Dr Mark Hoddle from the University of Southern California presented on proactive biocontrol.

Dr Hoddle’s presentation discussed benefits of the many biocontrols available, including for the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB). He also demonstrated the remarkable control effect from introducing a biocontrol in Tahiti for Glassy Wing Sharp Shooter (GWSS), where use of the biocontrol wasp essentially wiped out GWSS over seven months.

KVH is part of an industry steering group which aims to prepare an application to release this wasp should BMSB arrive in New Zealand.

Click here to view the full presentation.

Grower News

1 December 2016

Orchards in the Bay of Plenty and other regions have continued to be battered by strong winds over the past fortnight with cane loss and severe leaf damage, particularly in high altitude and/or wind exposed Hayward canopies. Elevated levels of Psa leaf spot and flower-bud infection are also being seen on these orchards as pollination continues. Leaf spotting has also been reported on a few Gold3 blocks.

The increase in Psa symptoms is unsurprising given the high level of canopy damage, as wounds have created multiple access points for Psa.

Growers are recommended to reapply copper cover as soon as pollination is complete to manage Psa inoculum levels and should consider additional coppers prior to periods of high risk weather throughout the balance of the growing season.

Typically, Psa risk reduces significantly as temperatures rise to 20 degrees or above; however, growers with moderate or severe leaf spot are reminded that these spots continue to be a potential inoculum source when weather conditions favour Psa.

Prune males during dry periods and follow up with protective sprays as soon as practicable to protect pruning wounds and recovering leaf canopy.

Foliars to support leaf and vine recovery should be tailored to individual orchard needs. Maintain a five to seven-day gap between applications of foliars and copper to minimise the risk of phytotoxicity to leaves and fruit. Do not apply sprays in poor drying conditions or high humidity as risk of fruit staining increases. Be aware of fruit sensitive periods

Gold skin sensitivity commences around 21 days after fruit set with risk increasing between 28 and 42 days and reducing again between 42 and 80 days. For Hayward, 14 to 35 days after fruit set is considered a high-risk period. If needed, protective sprays may be applied but take extra caution to ensure excellent spray conditions.

Protective Psa programs should be continued on all sites with high levels of wind damage and leaf spot, irrespective of remaining fruit numbers. Failure to maintain a strong program risks inoculum build-up within the orchard and may also add risk to neighbouring orchards.

Company Notices

1 December 2016

MPI and GIA partners hosted the Protecting to Grow New Zealand Biosecurity Forum last week, which included national and international experts speaking about the future of biosecurity in New Zealand. Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy also launched the Biosecurity 2025 Direction Statement. The second day of the forum provided opportunity for discussion and contribution through workshops focused on each of the five key strategic directions.

Chief Executive Barry O’Neil and Biosecurity Programmes Manager Andrew Harrison attended the forum and contributed significantly to the workshops.

Click here to read the Biosecurity 2025 Direction Statement.

Grower News

1 December 2016

Hill Laboratories will receive samples up to Friday 16 December 2016. Any samples received on or before this date should have results reported prior to Christmas. The start-up date for the...

Hill Laboratories will receive samples up to Friday 16 December 2016. Any samples received on or before this date should have results reported prior to Christmas.

The start-up date for the New Year will be Monday 9 January 2017.

Only KVH pre-arranged urgent testing will be accepted between these dates. Please contact Karyn Lowry on 027 227 1157 If urgent Psa testing is required between 19 December and 6 January. Photos of symptoms will be required. We anticipate these will only be from areas currently free of Psa (i.e. South Island).

Grower News

1 December 2016

HortPlus NZ and KVH have recently produced a suite of online training videos, designed to assist with using the Psa Risk Model and associated weather tools. Click here to watch the videos and...

HortPlus NZ and KVH have recently produced a suite of online training videos, designed to assist with using the Psa Risk Model and associated weather tools.

Click here to watch the videos and learn more about the Risk Model.

R&D News

30 November 2016

Over the past three months, KVH has hosted British PhD student, Stuart Woodcock (pictured) from the John Innes Centre in England. Stuart has been in New Zealand undertaking a review of the research and development surrounding Psa during an internship as part of his PhD, which involves researching pseudomonas bacteria, particularly Psa and its ability to cause infection within plants.

Psa has been estimated to have cost over $1 billion to the New Zealand kiwifruit industry since 2010. Although productivity has recovered, Psa remains a prevalent threat as the majority of orchards harbour the bacteria, with only one kiwifruit growing region has yet to exhibit infection.

More recently, the use of other biological organisms to control Psa have also been trialled and included into a control programme. All these products are effective to various extents, but it has been found that some samples of Psa has developed low level resistance to some of the controls, which could potentially make them ineffective.

Working with representatives from KVH, Zespri, Plant and Food Research and growers, Stuart has reviewed past and ongoing research addressing the threat of Psa to New Zealand kiwifruit. He has also identified areas where research needs to be strengthened and highlighted new and novel areas which may be beneficial in combatting Psa.

Stuart said his time in New Zealand has proven to be extremely valuable in his studies and continual learning development.

“It has been great to get out and about in various parts of the country to see how orchards are managing Psa and talking to orchardists about their control methods,” he said.

“I’ve been working closely with KVH and Zespri over the past few months to really get into the complexities of Psa and I hope my review will be useful in the continued management of this invasive infection.”

KVH Chief Executive, Barry O’Neil, said he was looking forward to further investigating the findings of the review.

“It has been fantastic to have someone with Stuart’s depth of knowledge working with us at KVH. He has identified some key areas of past research which can look to be strengthened in time and also highlighted some innovative ways which could potentially help with the ongoing Psa management.”

“Stuart’s review is part of the continuing research and development KVH delivers annually in collaboration with Zespri,” he said.

Click here to read the full review.

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