An innovative and multidisciplinary approach to face kiwifruit vine decline syndrome (KVDS)

In the last three years, the spread of the so-called kiwifruit vine decline syndrome (KVDS) in Italy also involved SunGold (G3) production. Preliminary indications from the research financed by Zespri pointed out water excess, stagnation, soil compaction or soil structure disruption associated with hypoxia or hyper oxidation as a potential cause in the emergence of KVDS. To face and contain the spreading of the problem, Zespri is coordinating five projects, considering plants as an integrated system with soil and atmosphere, and where microbial communities play a key role in modulating and translating environmental factors, with a “one health” approach. The approach of these new projects is clearly oriented, other than on research, toward extension and communication. Thanks to the wide network of Zespri teams, technicians and growers that Zespri is involving in this “task force” approach, we are supporting growers and the rest of the industry with the “learning by doing” strategy. Using soil science as the base for the agronomic management, we’re investigating and validating processes capable of creating stable soil biological porosity, decreasing soil compaction and hypoxia, increasing soil microbiome diversity, improve water and nutrient management and consequently increasing fruit yield and quality. The implementation of novel management and monitoring strategies can improve kiwifruit growth, vine productivity and reduce KVDS symptoms in impacted vineyards, contributing to the socio-economic sustainability of farms, and increasing the ecosystem services, according to a sustainable, integrated, modern and multifactorial concept of kiwifruit growing.