KVH reminds growers to report any unusual symptoms they see on their orchard. This is so we can investigate and take necessary action to minimise potential impacts to your investment, or the wider industry. In most instances early action is the easiest way to mitigate impacts.

In 2018 KVH began investigating a group of unusual symptoms on some South Island orchards which were reportedly getting worse from one year to the next. Symptoms include cankers, some scion collapse and some dead vines on the worst sites. Sampling and diagnostics have been undertaken - this is not Psa and there is no evidence to suggest these symptoms are associated with a new biosecurity incursion.

However, a fungal organism has been isolated in association with these cankers on numerous occasions, but it is unknown what specific role it plays in the development of the symptoms. At this stage we know the organism has been present in New Zealand for at least five years (but likely much longer as previous technology was unable to differentiate it from other closely related species known to be present in New Zealand for a long time).

KVH is working with local growers, Plant and Food Research and AgFirst to better understand the cause of these symptoms, their distribution across the region and best practice advice for on-orchard management. A grower meeting was held before Christmas to share this information and hear more about what growers are seeing. Growers have also been monitoring their orchards for the presence of cankers or other unusual symptoms and reporting these to KVH.

All growers are encouraged to regularly monitor their orchards and report any symptoms that are out of the ordinary or becoming progressively worse.