Psa-V spring update meeting

More than 100 growers attended yesterday’s Psa-V spring update meeting in Te Puke.

Click here to watch a video of the meeting in including the presentations.

Key messages from for the upcoming season:

• Signs of Psa-V are appearing in all affected regions and in all varieties - a colder, wetter autumn and winter is a contributor.
• El Nino weather system has established in the Pacific and likely to continue with potential for a dry summer.
• Likely to experience a wetter, windier spring until December.
• Product rates and use conditions are confirmed in the latest Psa-V Seasonal Management Guide now available on the KVH website.
• Industry must demonstrate it is using a combination of control practices – protective spray programmes and orchard cultural practices.
• Bactericide products, KeyStrepto™ and Kasumin® are available for the upcoming season with strict use conditions, including the requirement to complete an Orchard Psa IPM Strategy (OPIS) document and submit to Zespri by 1 October 2015. Click here for further information.
• Streptomycin resistance and copper tolerance is a focus this season – growers and contractors should be using label rates to help avoid resistance and tolerance developing. See KVH Best Practice Advice: Management to limit resistance to Psa control products on the KVH website.

Growers were also presented with a technical update on streptomycin resistance and management of bud-rot in green varieties through a 30-day pre-flowering girdle.

Key messages about pre-flowering girdling:

• Pre-flower girdles can aid in the control of bud rot in green varieties
• Apply 30 days before flowering for Hayward and Green14
• Single blade knife girdles and half girdles don’t work
• Girdles need to be done to correct depth
• Use as part of an integrated Psa control programme