Kiwifruit bacteria confirmed on 61 orchards

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A total of 61 orchards have now tested positive for the PSA bacteria which is spreading through the nation's kiwifruit crops.

Kiwifruit marketer Zespri said today that the latest confirmed infections were found on orchards in Hawke's Bay (2), Te Puke (3) and Whakatane/Edgecumbe (1).

Most of the infected orchards are in a 23km-wide area south of Te Puke township.

A third of the 61 confirmed infections are on orchards producing green kiwifruit.

Some growers are cutting out their own infected vines, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has been helping with safe disposal of the waste, including its incineration at a central site.

Zespri executive Carol Ward said tonight the infection of Psa was widespread, and affected most kiwifruit growing regions.

She said the focus this week was to find out more about Psa, and work with growers with infected orchards.

Meanwhile biosecurity staff at MAF have resisted a Federated Farmers call for a crackdown on artificial pollination, after revelations that DNA traces of the bacteria have been found in pollen collected as far back as 2007.

Up to a third of the nation's 3000 kiwifruit orchards have been using collected or imported pollen to supplement work by bees on their vines.

MAF response manager David Yard said growers were being urged to be cautious, and that collected pollen should be tested as negative for the Psa bacteria before it was used.

- NZPA