Australian Nurserymen's Fruit Improvement Company (ANFIC):
AU: No Little Cherry Virus detected in Mother Blocks for cherry trees
Neerim Hi-Plains Growers is one of ANFIC’s major cherry fruit tree nurseries in
Australia and has provided high health status and quality cherry trees to Australian orchardists since before 1970. The importance placed on the supply of high health cherry trees has been paramount through many years of known virus status of the Mother Blocks used to source budwood and rootstocks for propagation and sale to Australian cherry growers.
David Pike said “We have been privately funding annual virus testing of our
Mother Blocks for budwood production since testing was first introduced by the
Department of Agriculture approx. 30 years ago. We can follow the known virus status of our budwood blocks and keep excellent records of these results. Every 6 to 8 years we re-establish Mother Budwood Blocks through the propagation of budwood blocks propagated from the original Mother Blocks. Daughter budwood blocks are planted for budwood multiplication and budwood from these blocks produce 2nd generation trees which are sold to orchardists. Daughter blocks are kept for a maximum of 6 years before replanting using budwood from Mother Block trees. This Private Budwood Scheme has the long term results and would be classed as equivalent to many of the International and National budwood schemes from other industries. Buyers can be confident that Neerim will continue testing to eliminate any reasonable risk to growers.
We know the virus status of all budwood blocks we use for propagation of cherry trees for orchardists. Any past tests for Prune Dwarf and Prunus Necrotic Ringspot virus that may prove positive, results in the removal of the infected daughter budwood trees. We then go back to the virus-free Mother Block to propagate budwood blocks again, he said.”
Dr Gavin Porter, ANFIC CEO also commended Neerim Hi-Plains Growers for the
attention to detail they have taken with annual virus testing as part of their private budwood scheme which has provided high health status cherry trees to Australian cherry growers for many years.
For more information:
Dr Gavin Porter
ANFIC
Tel: +61 07-3491 9905
Email: info@anfic.com.au
www.anfic.com.au