Katikati orchardists have plans to slow Psa spread

Katikati kiwifruit orchardists have plans in place to slow the disease Psa down in the area.

Several orchards in the Western Bay of Plenty town have recently been hit by the disease which kills the vines, but orchardists are remaining positive that the infection will be slowed.

A manager of one orchard in the area, Craig Thompson, says they now have plans where they can graft new varieties and when people find their orchard has the infection they cut down and burn their vines and start with the new variety, which straight away reduces the infection.

"We have the plan now that we can graft our kiwi varieties which is good and that will help as well, so it might slow down the spread now because as people find infections they don't try and farm them through now - they just tend to cut them off and start again with a new variety which straight away reduces the infection."

Craig Thompson says Katikati has low levels of inoculum which means the disease will spread more slowly.

Photo: NZ Herald