Kiwifruit farmers across the country are busy harvesting their gold and red kiwifruits – now ready for the local and export market. During this period, the KPP (Kiwifruit Protection Programme) team, which included Prof. Irene Barnes, Dr Firehiwot Eshetu, PhD candidate Cheyenne Theron, and intern Phenyo Mokgadi, made site visits to orchards in Limpopo (10-12 March) and KwaZulu-Natal (16-21 March).

The visits were threefold: firstly, to score two ongoing Pseudocercospora epidemiology trials for Cheyenne, secondly, to scout for pest and pathogen issues, and thirdly, to gather diseased and healthy plant material for ongoing studies. These field visits were highly productive, strengthening relationships with growers and contributing valuable insights into the programme.

The KPP would like to thank Douglas Hoets, Jonathan Trusler, Henri, Ralph Eggers, Dave Stone, Miles Arbuthnot, Brett McNally, Dave Smith, Richard Quinn, Craig Heslop, Petrus Bezuidenhout, and Mark Meyer for their continued engagement. A special note of appreciation is extended to Douglas Hoets, and Dave Smith for their valuable contributions and their dedication to supporting the epidemiology trials throughout the growing season.