Orchard Psa minimised with use of ACTIGARD
Kiwifruit

The Ngāi Tukairangi Trust has a core business goal: to grow world class kiwifruit.

One of their orchards is nestled against the banks of the Matapihi Peninsula in the Bay of Plenty. It features both green and gold kiwifruit across 60 productive hectares.

Andrew McIntosh, Bay of Plenty Territory Sales Manager for Syngenta, recently caught up with Andrew Woods, the Trust’s Bay of Plenty Regional Orchard Manager, and Justin Pewhairangi, Orchard Supervisor to discuss how they were using ACTIGARD® in their orchards.

Andrew and Justin have been using ACTIGARD® at Ngāi Tukairangi for Psa control in their Matapihi kiwifruit orchard since the product was first registered in 2011.

“ACTIGARD® is an important part of our Psa control programme,” says Andrew Woods. “We know it works and as growers, we have full confidence in the product.

“Psa levels in the orchard are now deemed minimal and we believe that ACTIGARD® has played a vital part in reducing Psa inoculum in our blocks.”

They apply ACTIGARD® tank-mixed with copper at the post-harvest timing to protect fruit stalks and leaf scars, and again in spring to protect new growth.

“The exact post-harvest application timings are decided strategically around weather events to ensure any picking wounds and leaf scars are protected, which is a high-risk period for infection.”

Justin notes that ACTIGARD® mixes well with most other products they use. “That makes life easy from an application point of view too.”

Andrew has no hesitation recommending ACTIGARD® to other growers as a very useful tool to control Psa in Kiwifruit vines, given their positive experience with the product.

Best use guidelines for post-harvest applications:

  • Apply ACTIGARD® at 200 g/ha with copper immediately post-harvest
  • If canopy conditions allow (i.e. at least 50% of leaves still green) and infection risk remains high, re-apply ACTIGARD with copper 21 days later to extend protection into the leaf fall period.
  • Take care to prevent spray drift into unharvested fruit in adjacent blocks and decontaminate tanks thoroughly after use if the spraying is being used to apply stain removers next.

To find out more about how ACTIGARD® can help defend your crop click here or to contact your local Syngenta Territory Manager click here.