Kiwifruit growers body Zespri has appointed retired judge Sir Peter Trapski to investigate possible illegal application of unproven kiwifruit cuttings in Bay of Plenty orchards. The cuttings of the G3 Gold Kiwifruit variety are alleged to have been grafted onto vines on the property of grower Murray McBridge’s property.
The issue is especially sensitive for Zespri, as McBridge’s brother, Peter, is deputy chair of Zespri. Currently G3 is one of three new cultivars of the gold kiwifruit vine that is awaiting licensing as Psa-v resistant.
Grafting in advance of license approval would give a grower an advantage, as most wait to see which variety is the solution to the current Psa-v susceptible Hort16A cultivar that has been virtually wiped out by the pathogen. It is expected that there will be limited supplies of the chosen variety once it is certified as resistant, probably next month (March).
Trapski began his investigation last week, and is expected to report back to the Zespri board in April.
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