Nematode in confined area

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33783, 4 March 1975, Page 18

Nematode in confined area

The Ministry of Agriculture is leeoming more hopeful each day that the potato cyst nematode outbreak in Christchurch is local.

The regional advisory officer of the Ministry in Christchurch (Mr D. G. Reynolds) said yesterday that there had been very few further sightings in the last 10 days. “We are becoming more hopeful every day that the infestation is local,’’ said Mr Reynolds. There had now been about confined to a pocket in the! 22 sightings of the pest, but I

(neighbour hood of the origi'nal sighting. About 30 employees of the I Ministry are engaged in tlu ' search for the pest, and Mr : Reynolds said that this would probably continue lot (six weeks. The search had been going on in the Woodend-Kaiapoi area for about 10 days, but 'without any sightings of the . nematode. No sighting had been made in seed areas. So far, more than 350 het tares of over 600 hectares had been examined on a ran dom basis. On properties where the pest had been found, very little interference had been caused to growers in disposing of their crops A research team would come to the province soon from the Plant Diseases Division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research in Auckland. “Every resource is being used to ensure that we fully appreciate the situation." said Mr Reynolds.