Fears bees may help carry bacteria to green kiwifruit

Pollen is believed to be a low-risk vector for Psa. Photo / Christine Cornege

As the Bay of Plenty bacterium outbreak continues, focus is turning towards whether the green kiwifruit pollination season will help spread the disease.

Zespri chief executive Lain Jager said it was possible that bees could spread the Pseudomonas syringae pv actinidiae (Psa) bacterium now confirmed on three Te Puke orchards.

The pollination season is set to begin within the next two weeks.

Jager said it was crucial orchards were pollinated as normal, despite the outbreak.

"Our message is that business does have to go on," said Jager. "If pollination doesn't happen - if those hives don't go into the orchards - that in itself will have a real impact."

He said the industry was working towards pollination protocols. Those procedures would involve both beekeepers and artificial pollination firms, Jager said, which would "give growers confidence to go through normal practices, albeit with a higher level of hygiene".

He said clear information on the protocols was expected today.

New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers president Peter Ombler agreed the pollination of green kiwifruit must go ahead as normal.

"There's still a bit of uncertainty around the beekeeping fraternity around what the risks are and that type of thing," he said.

Ombler said science suggested that pollen was a low-risk vector for Psa.

Pollination for gold kiwifruit was long finished, he added.

MAF biosecurity deputy director-general Barry O'Neill said all the orchards the ministry had under quarantine yesterday were growing the gold variety of fruit.

The strain of Psa in New Zealand has not yet been identified, but the one which caused the worst damage in Italy particularly affected gold kiwifruit.

That variety is more profitable than green kiwifruit, and made up 77,000 tonnes or 21 per cent of Zespri's production last season, but about 34 per cent of the crop's earnings - at $285.7 million.

O'Neill said just over 100 canopy-hectares (the area directly under the kiwifruit canopy) of orchard in the Bay of Plenty were now under biosecurity control.

Biosecurity Minister David Carter said last night copper spraying would begin today on the orchard worst affected by Psa.

Concern was expressed that the spray could harm vines. But Carter said: "The compound to be used has no implications for trade and is safe to use on vines."

Meanwhile, former National Party leader and Reserve Bank Governor Don Brash expressed his concern.

Brash, who was chief executive of the New Zealand Kiwifruit Authority during the 1980s and has owned an orchard in Pukekohe for the past 30 years, said: "It's a very scary situation for growers - without question - and indeed anyone involved in servicing the industry.

"We don't know how bad the situation is, but it's potentially very bad indeed."

Brash said he was out on his 4.5 canopy-hectare orchard on Wednesday looking for signs of Psa, but did not find any.

"I'm in a fortunate position that I don't depend on the orchard for my entire income," he said.

" I feel very sorry for those who are full-time growers and do have a mortgage. It must be scary."

Psa outbreak
* 135 orchards had last night made contact with Zespri's contact centre.
* 78 have shown suspected symptoms of Psa.
* 3 orchards confirmed as having the bacterium.
* 5 orchards remain under quarantine.