A disease almost destroyed the #kiwi industry. #newzealand #fruit

Introduction

New Zealand proudly holds the title of the world's largest exporter of kiwi fruit, having shipped out over $ 1.5 billion worth of the fruit in 2023. However, maintaining such success has become increasingly challenging.

The troubles began in 2010 when a deadly kiwi fruit disease known as PSA (Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae) was first detected in New Zealand. This disease has since cost the kiwi industry over half a billion dollars in losses, creating significant challenges for growers and stakeholders. Without intervention, PSA could have spelled doom for the kiwi fruit sector.

Enter Russell Low, a researcher at the Plant and Food Research Institute in Auckland. Low was already well into a breeding program aimed at developing new varieties of kiwi fruit. Fortuitously, one of the varieties he was working on exhibited resistance to the PSA disease. Through careful cross-breeding, Low developed a new kiwi variety known as Gold 3, now marketed as SunGold.

This new variety not only showed resilience against PSA, but it also boasted sweeter fruit, thinner skins, and faster growth. Today, SunGold has flourished into a billion-dollar industry for New Zealand, revitalizing the sector and securing its place in the global market.

Keyword

Kiwi fruit
New Zealand
PSA (Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae)
Russell Low
Plant and Food Research Institute
Gold 3
SunGold
Exporter
Billion dollar industry

FAQ

Q: What impact did the PSA disease have on the New Zealand kiwi industry?
A: The PSA disease cost the industry over half a billion dollars in losses and posed a significant threat to its survival.

Q: Who played a crucial role in developing a disease-resistant kiwi variety?
A: Russell Low, a researcher at the Plant and Food Research Institute, was instrumental in developing the disease-resistant kiwi variety known as Gold 3 or SunGold.

Q: How has the SunGold variety benefited the kiwi industry?
A: SunGold not only resisted the PSA disease but also offered sweeter fruit, thinner skins, and faster growth, leading to its establishment as a billion-dollar industry for New Zealand.

Q: When was PSA first detected in New Zealand?
A: PSA was first detected in New Zealand in 2010.