This project involves the screening of some organic compounds as potential controls for bacterial pathogens. It is an extension of initial work by Zespri which identified some naturally derived bioactives that inhibit the kiwifruit disease PSA.

Building and expanding on the Zespri work, the aim of this project was to discover compounds that would protect against significant bacterial pathogens of a range of important horticultural crops in New Zealand. This would ultimately reduce the use of copper and bactericides in New Zealand horticulture by creating new, more sustainable control options.

In the first stage of this project, 73 organic acids were tested and the ten most efficacious in the laboratory against a range of plant pathogens were identified. Work undertaken by Waikato University and Plant & Food Research also established that these compounds were not phytotoxic at concentrations higher than those that kill the pathogens.

Next steps for this project are currently being decided.

Read more about this project here:

April 2025: Promising results in bacterial disease work