Katikati orchardists are vowing to fight against the vine killing disease Psa-V by choosing to immediately remove infected vines and graft to new varieties rather than manage vines through their existing crop.

A total of 17 per cent of orchards in Katikati are now infected with the disease and Katikati regional grower coordinator for Kiwifruit Vine Health Camilla Harvey says many growers are cutting down vines when they find out they are infected instead of managing them through to the next crop.

'Growers have been doing this since Zespri offered the one for one option to remove Hort16A vines and replace them with new varieties earlier this year.”

Many growers have a supply of their own new variety budwood or can access budwood from postharvest operators, which means they don't have to wait until Zespri's next round of budwood release in November.

By last week 53 Katikati orchards had been identified with the disease and Camilla says the orchards are spread throughout the district which extends from Wainui South Road to Athenree.

'It was always expected that there would be more infections in spring and this recent weather with frosts, rain and wind hasn't helped.”

It appears cutting out infected vines and grafting new varieties is better for the health of the root stock and overall helps reduce the inoculum load in the district.

Camilla says Katikati growers are generally remaining positive about the impacts of the disease and most have plans in place to deal with it.

Since Psa, which appears particularly deadly to the gold Hort16A variety, was discovered in Te Puke two years ago, Katikati growers, along with others in regions throughout the country, have appointed grower representatives like Camilla to act as co-ordinators between local orchardists and KVH.

Advising growers on biosecurity and orchard hygiene procedures has been among their roles and Camilla says as the disease has progressed the need for orchard hygiene has been highlighted.

'It is vital that gear, footwear and vehicles are cleaned before and after they come onto orchards and gear should be cleaned between bays within the orchards.”

Postharvest companies have been supporting their growers, but the impacts of the disease and falling crop volumes is hard for them too.

'Postharvest operators are competing with each other for crops and the next couple of seasons won't be easy.”

Two years on from the outbreak of Psa, Camilla says there is more optimism that the industry can manage its way out of the current situation and learn to continue to produce export quality kiwifruit despite the disease.

Last week KHV reported that there had been 35 new Psa-V identifications; two in the Franklin region; three in the Coromandel; three in Waihi, fourteen in Katikati; seven in Tauranga West; five in Tauranga East; and one in Whakatane.

KVH also says it is aware, and concerned, about under-reporting of Psa-V infected orchards, particularly in heavily infected areas. To address this, KVH is reviewing the approach that needs to be used, and in the first instance is sending packhouses in these areas a list of orchards that have not been reported with Psa-V. Packhouses are being asked to monitor these orchards and report their updated status to KVH.

This is likely to result in a significant increase in the number of orchards reported Psa-V positive in the weekly statistics over the next few weeks. This update will help provide a more accurate picture of the extent of Psa-V.