Tests to verify whether a kiwifruit orchard near Maungatapere is infected with the vine-killing disease Psa-V are expected to be completed on Friday.
Results were to have been available by yesterday but Kiwifruit Vine Health (KVH) now plans to hold a meeting for Whangarei growers at 1pm on Friday ata venue to be named in the Psa Bulletin tomorrow.
KVH has established a controlled area around the affected site and 31 other orchards near Maungatapere, 11km west of Whangarei.
If the provisional positive test result on a Hort16A vine from the orchard is confirmed, it will be the first confirmed case of the disease in the Whangarei region.
KVH chief executive Barry O'Neil said the test result was likely to be Psa-V positive.
"As part of the KVH verification process in new regions, the sample is tested by two laboratories before we can confirm a positive result. At this stage, only one laboratory has returned positive results."
