As Spring progresses and the PSA virus works its way relentlessly through Bay of Plenty orchards, many kiwifruit growers are beginning to realise their vines simply won’t support a crop this year.
Kiwifruit Vine Health general manager John Burke says 85 percent of Te Puke’s gold orchards, more than 500 of them, are now infected with PSA-V, and a high percentage of those won’t make it to the 2012 harvest.
The official advice to growers now is to rip out their vines and plan towards replanting.
Meanwhile, growers in Kerikeri are holding their breath following a preliminary positive test for PSA-V in an orchard there over the weekend.
Mr Burke told Country 99TV that preliminary result won’t be confirmed or ruled out until later this week.
“The verification process takes a little while because it’s the old traditional test and the process takes a few days. So we may not get an answer until the middle of the week.”
KVH says Zespri is looking to introduce rootstocks with greater tolerance to PSA-V by the 2013 season.
