15 May 2013

Growers dispute effectiveness of PSA spray regime

1:55 pm on 15 May 2013

Some kiwifruit growers are worried they'll have to carry out a spray management programme they believe is scientifically questionable, following the approval of a PSA management plan.

The National Psa-V Pest Management Plan has been approved by the Government and comes into effect on Friday.

It places Kiwfruit Vine Health (KVH) in charge of PSA management and gives it extra powers to police abandoned orchards and those it deems to be unmanaged.

KVH chairman Peter Ombler says the national pest management plan will provide the co-ordinated, structured approach the industry needs to deal with PSA.

Mr Ombler says growers will also be required to have a PSA management plan in place.

However some growers and scientific experts disagree with KVH recommendations on managing the bacterial disease.

They say the recommendation to spray copper on their vines at certain times of the year not only damages the plants but is ineffectual.

Te Puke grower Russell Baker says the spray might be useful in the dormant season but there is no evidence it protects vines during the growing season, and he is worried growers will be forced to adopt the practice.

Another grower told Radio New Zealand they had yet to see any evidence that an orchard under the KVH spray programme was any better off than an orchard where there was no spraying at all.