Reports

Potato & Tomato Psyllid monitoring

Regular monitoring for the tomato / potato psyllid is essential for effective control. Two types of monitoring can be carried out. Placement of yellow sticky traps indicate when adults are prevalent in the area, but not enough is yet known to establish control thresholds. The other options is inspecting plants (particularly the lower 1/3 of stems and leaves) which gives valuable information on the numbers and life stages present in the crop, and can be used to direct to types of control products to be used.

It is also useful to monitor (or preferably remove) alternative hosts which include the common weeds dandelion, amaranth, convolulus, jimson weed, mallow, and black nightshade. Ornamental solanaceous plants are also potential hosts, and so is the native plant poroporo.

Psyllid monitoring is now being carried out at sites across New Zealand as part of the Sustainable Psyllid Management SFF project. This data, along with the latest information on psyllid monitoring, is presented below.

Candidatus Liberibacter and the Potato & Tomato Psyllid

MAFBNZ temporarily withdrew its phytosanitary certification for the export of tomatoes and capsicums on Tuesday 3 June 2008. We are of the opinion that the application of a prohibition or other phytosanitary measures to tomato and capsicum fruit is not the best approach to take. This opinion is based on an evaluation of the likelihood of the new Liberibacter being introduced into another country through trade in tomato and capsicum fruit. Although little is known about the Liberibacter in tomatoes and capsicums, much can be drawn from the biology of other members of this genus, and the application of phytosanitary principles.

The new potato & tomato psyllid code of practice can be downloaded here, and grower guide can be downloaded here. The results of the latest research into Liberibacter can be found on this website's members only page for research reports, which can be found here. Emergency measures for market access into Australia for tomatoes and capsicums are detailed here, and the temporary phytosanitary compliance programme for the export of capsicum and tomato fruit to Australia can be downloaded here.

Click here to download a 8 December 2008 update on Candidatus Liberibacter from MAFBNZ.
Click here to download a 7 November 2008 update on Candidatus Liberibacter from MAFBNZ.
Click here to download a 26 October 2008 update on Candidatus Liberibacter from Horticulture New Zealand.
Click here to download a 25 August 2008 update on Candidatus Liberibacter from Horticulture New Zealand.
Click here to download a 22 August 2008 update on Candidatus Liberibacter from MAFBNZ.
Click here to download a 25 July 2008 update on Candidatus Liberibacter from Horticulture New Zealand.
Click here to download a 24 July 2008 update on Candidatus Liberibacter from MAFBNZ.
Click here to download an 11 July 2008 update on Candidatus Liberibacter from MAFBNZ.
Click here to download a 3 July 2008 update on Candidatus Liberibacter from MAFBNZ.
Click here to download a 26 June 2008 update on Candidatus Liberibacter from Horticulture New Zealand.
Click here to download a 24 June 2008 update on Candidatus Liberibacter from MAFBNZ.
Click here to download a 20 June 2008 report from MAFBNZ summarizing the process followed to diagnose this disease.
Click here to download a 3 June 2008 letter to growers from Horticulture New Zealand.

The potato & tomato psyllid (Bactericera cockerelli) was originally found in 2006 on tomatoes and potatoes in the Auckland and Waikato regions. Adults look like tiny cicadas, 2 - 3 mm long. It is a serious pest of potatoes and tomatoes, as well as capsicum and other solanaceous crops and difficult to control. In 2007 the psyllid spread south and was also found in Nelson. In 2008 it was also found in outdoor tomato crops in the Hawkes Bay and Gisborne, but its ultimate range may be limited to areas with winter temperatures above 0ºC. A fact sheet on the psyllid was published by Plant & Food Research in March 2009, and can be downloaded by clicking here.

Please click here to download a poster with information on this pest, click here to download some fact cards, or click here to view MAF's information on this species.

Resource Inventory and Carbon Footprint for Greenhouse Tomatoes and Capsicums

MAF SFF and FTPG Project: L07/026 (funded by MAF's Sustainable Farming Fund & the Fresh Tomato Product Group

The carbon footprint of greenhouse produced vegetables; e.g. tomatoes and capsicums to the "farm gate" is larger than any other horticultural crop, although the profiles are likely to start converging when the system boundary is extended to include postharvest emissions.

Where greenhouse production has large emissions due to heating, as the fruit is picked and consumed within a couple of weeks they have a small refrigeration requirement and negligible losses. Other fruit that can be stored for long periods of time and slowly released onto the market while having lower production emissions have an ever increasing postharvest carbon footprint.

Although this project has established a carbon footprint for NZ greenhouse tomatoes and capsicums it is largely a meaningless number. Even when compared to the carbon footprint of other food it is only one aspect (if the information is available) that consumers may consider when making their purchasing decision. For example it is doubtful that a customer is going to choose an onion over a greenhouse tomato because the latter has a higher carbon footprint.

Of more importance than the carbon number itself, is how that number is being lowered. Greenhouse heating dominates the carbon footprint, so consequently the priority for improvements should focus in this area. Not surprisingly due to the increasing energy costs and some quick payback opportunities for improvement, the industry already has a number of initiatives in place to ensure greenhouse heating and profitability is improved.

Assessing new biological control agents

The report "Assessing new biological control agents in greenhouse capsicums and tomatoes" by Peter Workman is now available - click here to download.

Research reports and summaries

As research reports and summaries become available they will be added to this page. Keep an eye on the news section of the home page for any updates. A list of fresh vegetable research reports funded between 1994 - 2007 can be found here.

The May 2008 CropHouse Newsletter can be downloaded here.

Vegetable Research & Innovation Board

Composition

The Vegetable Research & Innovation Board:

was established in December 2005 by the Fresh Vegetable, Fresh Tomato, Process Vegetable and Potato Product Groups, Onions New Zealand and the New Zealand Asparagus Council
membership is at the sole discretion of each group
is comprised of seven members, one appointed by each of the contributing groups and an independent chair appointed by agreement of the 6 members appointed by the contributing groups
current members are: Mike Dunbier (Chair), Stuart Davis (Fresh Vegetables), Paul Munro (Onions New Zealand) Murray Turley (Potatoes), Alan Newton (Process Vegetables), Wim Zwart (Fresh Tomatoes) and Peter Falloon (Asparagus).

The R&I Manager (currently Dr Sonia Whiteman) is an employee of Horticulture New Zealand.

Funding

Funding for the Vegetable Research & Innovation Board and associated R&I Manager is by agreement among the contributing groups. The current commitment is until the end of the 2010/11 financial year and the current share of contributions is as follows:

Group	(%)
Fresh Vegetable Product Group	31
Potato Product Group	26
Fresh Tomato Product Group	17
Process Vegetable Product Group	13
New Zealand Asparagus Council	3
Onions New Zealand	10

Board Operations

Board resolutions will be on the basis of one member one vote.
The quorum of the Board will be 4 members.
The Board may hold meetings by conference call and/or make decisions by circular resolution or email responses.

Terms of Reference:

The Board has been delegated responsibility by the Vegetable Product Groups for the overall governance of the Vegetable Research and Innovation Platforms:

Sustainable production systems

Systems that use best practice technologies throughout value chains to meet or exceed community expectations for:

Maintenance of productive capacity
Minimising ecosystem impacts
Providing for economic and social sustainability

Innovative vegetable products

Using specialised knowledge to develop and successfully market innovative, customised products satisfying international consumer needs for:

Lifestyle products
Nutritionally superior products
High value niche products

Integrated and efficient value chains

Managing value chains within the industry so that they are internationally competitive and operate with such efficiency that they enhance the business results of all participants enabling:

Consistency of quality paddock to plate
Optimal speed to market
Competitive access to target markets
Delivery of best commercial outcomes
Added value to products
Continually enhanced capacity to innovate

Responsibilities of the Board in conjunction with the Manager
i) Advises the CEO of Horticulture New Zealand of the performance of the R&I Manager
ii) In conjunction with the Manager:

Grow the focus on strategic research and innovation across the Vegetable Product Groups.
Recommend a research and innovation strategy and from this an investment portfolio across the Vegetable Product Groups.
Coordinate the operation of this portfolio with key research providers.
Develop with key investment agencies proposals to grow strategic investment into vegetable research and innovation and coordinate these proposals.
Communicate vegetable industry research and innovation strategies and outcomes to key industry stakeholders.
Manage the vegetable research and innovation portfolio for the achievement of outcomes desired by growers.
Coordinate with other related portfolios, especially those Product Groups within Horticulture NZ and the wider horticulture industry.