The kiwifruit disease Psa-V has been found for the first time in the Coromandel region and four vines of the new gold variety G9 have been removed.

Kiwifruit Vine Health chief executive Barry O'Neil says the vines, planted in 2010, were on a 9hectare orchard in Whenuakite and KVH has established a ‘controlled area' within a 10 kilometre radius of the infected orchard.

Kiwifruit Vine Health chief executive Barry O'Neil says a controlled area is being established in a 10km radius of the infected Coromandel orchard.

'As this is the first reported incidence of Psa in the region, the owner and manager decided the best action to take was to remove the affected and adjoining vines back to the graft,” says Barry.

'That is despite the fact G9, like the other new variety, G3 is believed to be more tolerant of the disease than the original gold fruit Hort16A.

'It is unclear how long the vine had been infected but the owner and manager are astute orchardists and have done everything they needed to do in the use of crop management and protective sprays against Psa.”

The orchard also has five hectares of newly grafted G3.

KVH has begun an investigation into how the disease may have got to Coromandel but Barry says its arrival is not unexpected.

'It is disappointing but the Coromandel has been identified as a high-risk region for a Psa-V incursion, given its close proximity to Psa-V infected areas in the Bay of Plenty, especially those in Waihi.

'It could have blown in or inadvertently ben brought in.”

The 22 hectares of orchards, owned by 18 growers, in the surrounding 10km controlled area are being inspected for more signs of the disease.

These include orchards growing Hort16A gold fruit, which has little resistant to the disease and the newer, more tolerant G3 and G9 varieties as well as Hayward green fruit.

KVH met with Coromandel growers on Monday to give them an update on the incursion, explain the newly established ‘controlled area' and discuss next steps and orchard protection options.

'As the sap starts to flow in early spring, Psa-V symptoms become more obvious. There was a marked increase in Psa-V identifications at this time last year. We also received the first Psa-V positive results from orchards in the Waikato region only two weeks ago.

'To find an incursion in another region is very disappointing. However, growers have learnt a great deal over the past 18 months and have responded swiftly and responsibly,” says Barry.

Another meeting is planned for growers in Te Awamutu on Thursday to update them on the incursion of the disease in the Waikato two weeks ago and investigations into the means by which it may have arrived.

Growers in the controlled area are being advised the following.

• Monitor orchards extensively and report suspicious symptoms to your packhouse Psa manager.
• Implement and maintain a protective spray programme.
• Maintain strict orchard hygiene procedures.
• No kiwifruit plant material, including budwood and nursery stock, and no potentially contaminated orchard equipment, can be moved out of this area.

For more information about best-practice orchard management protocols, see the Grower sections on the KVH website www.kvh.org.nz.