Kiwi industry threatened by vine disease

Both local and national eyes are closely trained on kiwifruit orchards in New Zealand, with the news that some have been infected by Pseudomonas syringae pv actinidiae (PSA), a vine-killing disease.

The disease is caused by a bacterium (PSA) which can be spread through the air and on equipment.  Fears have arisen that the infection could hurt the Kiwifruit industry, which accounts for 2.5% of NZ’s exports.

Click here for a collection of research papers related to PSA, bacterial canker in kiwifruit, their characteristics, spread and methods to limit and/or eradicate them.

Media coverage: (oldest first)

8 Nov

Business Day: First victims of kiwifruit bacteria

NBR: Billion-dollar kiwifruit industry faces killer threat 8

NZ Herald: Hundreds of millions of kiwifruit dollars at risk

ONE News: Tests confirm kiwifruit bacteria in NZ

9 Nov

Radio NZ: Tests confirm kiwifruit disease

Wall Street Journal: New Zealand Kiwi Industry Threatened By Disease

Newstalk ZB: Only one site infected

NZ Herald: Infected kiwifruit vines may need to be burned – Zespri

Sydeny Morning Herald: Zespri eyes options as kiwifruit struck

ONE News: Infected kiwifruit orchard’s location a secret

Business Day: Kiwifruit fears confirmed

TVNZ/NZPA: ‘Too soon to panic’ – Zespri boss

NZ Herald: Carter urges caution over kiwifruit disease

San Francisco Chronicle: Bacteria May Affect As Many as 18 New Zealand Kiwifruit Orchards

Dominion Post: Fears grow over kiwifruit disease

ABC News: Disease threatens NZ’s kiwifruit industry

NZ Herald: Second Te Puke orchard infected, says MAF

NZ Herald: Second kiwifruit orchard quarantine

NZ Herald: Kiwifruit probe turns to length of Psa infection

Radio NZ: Dozens of orchards being checked for disease

Close Up: Is this the end of the kiwifruit industry?

BusinessWeek: U.S. Halts Imports of N.Z. Kiwifruit Nursery Stock

10 Nov

NBR: Italians impound NZ kiwifruit as disease spreads

BusinessDay: Underreaction could see kiwifruit disease spread

NZ Herald: Psa confirmed at second kiwifruit orchard

Checkpoint: Second kiwifruit orchard now under quarantine

Checkpoint: Kiwifruit growers want MAF to name affected orchards

ONE News/NZPA/Newstalk ZB: Third kiwifruit orchard quarantined

3 News: Third kiwifruit orchard investigated

The Telegraph: Virus threatens New Zealand’s kiwi fruits

Morning report: MAF says eradicating kiwifruit disease may not be possible

Morning Report: MAF says science will guide kiwifruit disease response

Morning Report: NZ could learn from Italy’s kiwifruit devastation

Morning Report: Zespri to possibly identify disease infested orchards

Radio NZ: Growers concerned infected vines not destroyed

Otago Daily Times: Imports of NZ kiwifruit cuttings banned

Checkpoint: Minister briefed about vine disease on tour of kiwifruit region

The Press: Vine-killing canker spreads

11 Nov

NZ Herald: Kiwifruit vine-killing disease crisis worsens

Morning Report: Kiwifruit grower says PSA appears well-established

Morning Report: Diseased kiwifruit orchards to be sprayed today

Business Day: Kiwifruit spraying put on hold

TV3/NZPA: Kiwifruit spraying delayed

ONE News/NZPA: Copper spraying delayed as vines checked in other areas

NBR: MAF delays spraying as kiwifruit disease outbreak spreads

Morning Report: Fears kiwifruit vine infection has spread

Otago Daily Times: More checks for bacteria in kiwifruit orchards

Dom Post: Kiwifruit a victim of monoculture farming

Waikato Times: Waikato on disease alert

12 Nov

BusinessDay: Canker ‘not as bad as in Italy’

RadioNZ: Kiwifruit exports uninterrupted despite vine disease

Checkpoint: Copper spraying to begin at kiwifruit orchards

Morning Report: Zespri expects PSA test results back today

Morning Report: Kiwifruit leaders no closer to figuring out PSA

NZ Herald: Fears bees may help carry bacteria to green kiwifruit

TVNZ/NZPA: Kiwifruit sales stay up despite vine crisis

NZ Herald/NZPA: Relief kiwifruit exports not yet blacklisted

13 Nov

NZ Herald: Fourth kiwifruit orchard infected

NZ Herald: Billion-dollar crisis in the orchard

Nelson Mail: Region’s kiwifruit growers vigilant

NZPA/Stuff: Kiwifruit company wants complete cure

NZ Herald: Hairyberry has strength to conquer disease

14 Nov

RadioNZ: Eight kiwifruit orchards have vine disease

NZ Herald: Call to kill PSA

Sunday Star Times: Kiwifruit growers hang on for warm fuzzies

ONE News/NZPA: Crisis meeting held over kiwifruit

Newstalk ZB: 11 Kiwi orchards under quarantine

15 Nov

Checkpoint: Update on kiwifruit disease

RadioNZ: Kiwifruit grower hopes PSA panic will die down

Nine to Noon:  Decision on how to tackle kiwifruit vine disease PSA

Bay of Plenty Times: Kiwifruit vines dying

BusinessDay: Strategy to attack kiwifruit disease plotted

TVNZ/ONE News: Minister being briefed on eradication of kiwifruit disease

16 Nov

NZ Herald: Grower begins to destroy kiwifruit

Business Day: Kiwifruit canker vines oozing red liquid

NBR: Control of kiwifruit canker could cost millions – Govt

17 Nov

NewstalkZB/ONE News/NZPA: Disease found in orchards outside Te Puke

Morning Report: Kiwifruit industry meet to finalise plan to tackle vine disease

3 News/NZPA: Pollen in the cross-hairs as new test check for PSA

BusinessDay: Kiwifruit bug spreads

Waikato Times: Kiwifruit orchard hygiene ‘crucial’

18 Nov

Morning Report: Scientists say PSA likely to be recent introduction

The Press/Nelson Mail: Kiwifruit disease found in Nelson

ONE News: Up to $50m pledged to tackle kiwifruit disease

NZ Herald/NZPA: Psa outbreak will cost $75m, Govt predicts

Checkpoint: Kiwifruit growers vote on Govt’s PSA offer

Checkpoint: Prime Minister speaks on kiwifruit rescue package

19 Nov

RadioNZ: Delaying removal of infected vines costly

Dominion Post: Disease unlikely to raise kiwifruit price

Morning Report: Farmers say imported pollen makes New Zealand vulnerable

BusinessDay: Kiwifruit disease confirmed in 51 orchards

20-22 Nov

RadioNZ: Marketer urges caution over kiwifruit pollination

RadioNZ: Kiwifruit growers urged to have pollen tested

Morning Report: Artificial pollination not yet linked to PSA spread

NZ Herald: Pollen import ban sought to save kiwifruit industry

23 Nov

Morning Report: Incinerator not long term solution for infected kiwifruit

RadioNZ: Deep burial considered for diseased kiwifruit vines

The Press: Further probe into imported kiwifruit pollen

[please note: this list is indicative only]