Take care with machinery movements

Growers moving machinery between orchards, and especially between growing regions, are reminded of the importance of removing visible soil to prevent the spread of unwanted threats like phytophthora - fungal like organisms that love wet conditions and stressed vines. They can cause both root and crown rot in kiwifruit plants.

There are many species of phytophthora and KVH is continually undertaking sampling and testing of orchards where growers are seeing more than expected vine collapse, to provide confidence that we are dealing with environmental impacts rather than something new.

Notorious for hybridising to create species amongst themselves (which generates additional management challenges), it is unlikely we would become aware of a new phytophthora situation before visible symptoms appear – which can take some time.

Accordingly, growers are reminded that the movement of soil between orchards (such as on dirty machinery, tools, and harvest bins for example) is a potentially high-risk pathway for the spread of phytophthora. We ask that you remain vigilant with hygiene practices and remove all visible soil. Better yet, sanitise with a product listed on the KVH website.

We know growers are busy and dealing with several issues at the moment but by keeping up with good on-orchard biosecurity and hygiene practices we greatly increase our ability to identify and then limit any further risk.