SAMAC Nurserymen s Code of Practice Protocols (version February 2015)

Transcription

1 SAMAC Nurserymen s Code of Practice Protocols (version February 2015) 1. Basic Qualifying Criteria Code of Practice Protocol 2. Nursery Accreditation Code of Practice Protocol 3. Site Code of Practice Protocol 4. Raised Platform Code of Practice Protocol 5. Planting Medium Code of Practice Protocol 6. Planting Medium Drainage Code of Practice Protocol 7. Irrigation Water Code of Practice Protocol 8. Mother Material Code of Practice Protocol 9. Seed & Seedling Selection Code of Practice Protocol 10. Nursery Bag Code of Practice Protocol 11. Weak Plant Separation Code of Practice Protocol 12. Display and Administration Code of Practice Protocol 13. Plant Quality Code of Practice Protocol 14. Identified Pathogen Code of Practice Protocol 15. General Nursery Code of Practice Protocol 16. Payment of Plant Breeders Rights Royalty Fees Code of Practice Protocol 17. Tree Dispatch Code of Practice Protocol 1

2 1. Basic Qualifying Criteria Code of Practice Protocol Nurseries must comply with the following basic criteria to qualify as a registered nursery: SAAFQIS o Must be registered at the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries o Certificate must be up to date o Registrations can be done by contacting Joan Sadie at / ; joans@nda.agric.za or Linda Ncetezo at ; lindasn@nda.agric.za SAMAC o The Nursery must be an Associate member of SAMAC o Audit fees: There are currently no formal audit fees although the nursery will have to cover the following: the total of three trees which will be destroyed during inspection and the cost of the pathogen analysis. o The farm where the mother blocks are based (ie where the nursery plant material is sourced) must be a SAMAC grower member. o Nursery must be open for inspection by SAMAC officer at all times o An overall minimum of 80% must be obtained by a nursery to obtain Nursery accreditation A minimum of 85% must be obtained for the plant quality section o Sales volumes must be supplied to SAMAC once per year, before 31 January each year. Volumes must be sent to Barry barry@subtrop.co.za and to the Subtrop info@subtrop.co.za. Must comply with the following Code of Practice Protocols: o Raised platform Code of Practice Protocol o Planting medium Code of Practice Protocol o Irrigation water Code of Practice Protocol o Mother material Code of Practice Protocol o Display of regulations Code of Practice Protocol o Root system development Code of Practice Protocol If satellite nurseries are established, a separate audit should be carried out with only the relevant protocols applying to the satellite nursery and all other protocols applying to the mother nursery A star rating will be allocated after obtaining a final percentage score after an audit has been completed as follows o < 80% - no certificate / fail o 80 85% - o 86 94% - o % - 2

3 2. Nursery Accreditation Code of Practice Protocol SAMAC will be responsible for annual audits of all registered nurseries. Random inspection visits may also be conducted during the year. Nursery accreditation will be awarded according to the Nursery Accreditation System. The list of accredited nurseries will be updated after each audit and any changes will be published (or removed) in relevant media. Nurseries will obtain accreditation if an overall score of at least 80% is obtained for the audit, as well as a minimum of 85% for the plant quality section. A certificate will be issued after each audit and the updated version must be on display Individual nurseries may use the SAMAC accreditation for marketing purposes. SAMAC will publish a list of accredited nurseries in the Subtrop Quarterly Journal and on the SAMAC website. The accreditation system consists of the following sections: o Site o Planting Media o Water Source o Mother Material o Planting Area/ Techniques o General Nursery Practices o Plant Quality o Administration 3

4 3. Site Code of Practice Protocol SITE SELECTION Select a site where rain and irrigation water will drain out of and away from the nursery Dust should be minimised around the nursery perimeter NURSERY PERIMETER The nursery perimeter should be fenced to prevent human and animal traffic The growth medium storage area, fumigation/steam sterilisation area and planting areas should be fenced off separately Water run-off from outside the nursery perimeters should be channelled away from and out of the nursery NURSERY LAY-OUT The nursery should preferably be divided into "red" and "green" zones. In the red zone, growth medium is prepared and disinfected using steam or a fumigant. Plant bags or pots are filled in this area, and these are transferred to the green area. The direction of "traffic" flow is always from the red area to the green area and not vice versa. The green area is where the plants are grown. Workers and tools are not allowed to move between the zones. This is essential to prevent spread of diseases. The area designated for medium preparation should have a concrete floor and storage bins for growth media Dust from access roads to the nursery should be minimised Pathways must be sloped slightly to facilitate drainage and must be constructed so that there is no standing water Site should be designed so that water flows out of the beds and drains onto pathways and away from the nursery ADMISSION TO THE NURSERY Gates to the nursery perimeter should be kept to the minimum Each gate requires a copper footbath with a roof over the footbath area Footbaths should always contain sufficient copper Copper sulphate is preferable but copper oxychloride may also be used Limit admittance and movement of people within the nursery Trolleys and wheelbarrows that are used in the planting area should remain there and only be used there Facilities with soap/disinfectant and disposable towels should be provided at a convenient location where workers and personnel can wash their hands Workers should be provided with shoes that may only be worn in the nursery Under-roof copper footbaths should also be erected between the different zones of the nursery Tools used in the nursery must be retained in the areas in which they will be used Unaccompanied visitors should not be allowed in the nursery 4

5 4. Raised Platform Code of Practice Protocol The minimum requirement set out by SAMAC is that plants must stand on a raised platform, consisting of an inert material with no water holding capacity SAMAC however advises that platforms should be raised higher than 30cm (above the splash-line of rain and irrigation water), as higher beds are less conducive to soilborne diseases If crushed stone is used (in the absence of cement), it should be kept clean and contain no plant material or growth media Plastic liners will not be permitted, since it does not allow drainage, and it promotes water dams where oomycete pathogens can disseminate zoospores Please note the following: No minimum height standard has been set, and future investigation may lead to adaptation of the minimum height standard in the checklist, as well as a comparison of the type of platforms used 5

6 5. Planting Media Code of Practice Protocol Planting media may consist of Steam sterilised river sand or other soil sources Bark/compost/coco fibre Vermiculite/Perlite Any combination of the above All of the above mentioned material must be obtained from a traceable source Analysis must either be supplied by the source or be done per incoming batch for the presence of oomycete pathogens (specifically Phytophthora cinnamomi or Pythium spp). If own medium is used, at least one analysis per year should be done. Planting media must have a ph (H2O) of o These tests should be performed annually, and these results must be available during inspection. Monthly testing is however recommended for the nursery s own sake Drainage should be sufficient for plant propagation SAMAC officers will take biannual samples of planting media to be analysed for the presence of Phytophthora and Pythium species. The results will be presented to the nurseries after analysis, and the presence of these pathogens would be dealt with in accordance with the identified pathogen code of practice protocol Sterilisation of planting media is advisable, and will also be evaluated in the nursery certification 6

7 6. Planting Media Drainage Code of Practice Protocol The planting media must be well drained, yet also have a good water holding capacity The planting media must have high air filled porosity 7

8 7. Irrigation Water Code of Practice Protocol The nursery water source should be tested to ensure that it is free of pathogens. This should be done once a year if borehole water (borehole deeper than 30m) is used, and every six months for any other source If river water is used, it must be free of impurities and treated to remove any fungi, bacteria, nematodes and other organisms or viruses Filtration and subsequent sterilisation is crucial if a contaminated water source is used o Phytophthora and Pythium zoospores are approximately 10 µm in size, are flexible and therefore filters with pores smaller than 5 µm are recommended. Water can be sterilised by means of chlorination, flocculation, ozonation or ultraviolet (UV) irradiation (254 nm) o Hydrogen peroxide can also be used, however, there are some controversies regarding the use of this weak sterilant, since some oomycete pathogens produce its own catalase enzymes (which degrades hydrogen peroxide). o When using UV, make sure that the water turbidity is clear and that there is not more than 2 mm thick layer of water flowing over the UV lamps. Furthermore, the flow rate of water should be slow Hose nozzles should not touch the ground Water sampling procedure for pathogen analysis* Use a spore trap to test for the presence of Oomycete pathogens in irrigation water. The trap can be prepared and installed as follows: Use a plastic container, approximately 100 mm in height and 80 mm in diameter, with a lid. The container should be thoroughly cleaned before use. Metal containers are not suitable, as these may release ions capable of destroying the zoospores. (Tip: yoghurt containers (1L) are sufficient) Drill about 10 holes of 3 mm diameter around, and approximately 20 mm below, the top edge of the container. Insert a dripper, connected to the main irrigation line, into the container by passing it through a hole in the lid and allow the container to fill with water. (Drippers capable of delivering two litres water/hour at a pressure of 50 to 500 kpa are commercially available). Place approximately avocado leaf discs, about 4 mm in diameter, on the water in the container. These discs are obtained by punching holes in mature leaves collected from trees that have neither been treated with systemic fungicides such as Ridomil, Aliette, Fighter, Avoguard or Phytex for the control of root rot, nor sprayed with fungicides such as copper. 8

9 The top part of the container should be covered to exclude all light. The container should preferably be installed in a pumphouse and should be absolutely level so that water will leak simultaneously from all the holes. Allow water to pass slowly through the trap for three to four days. Excess water will escape through the holes around the top. If the container is not level or if the dripper is set too fast, the zoospores, if any, will simply be carried away, as it will not be possible for them to be attracted chemotactically to the leaf discs. The discs are then removed from the container using a clean tweezer, blotted dry with tissue paper and transferred to petri-dishes containing a selective medium supplied by a laboratory (Figure 2). Seven leaf discs are placed in each of two petri-dishes. The petri-dishes are then sealed with masking tape, parafilm or Glad Wrap. 9

10 Figure 1: Phytophthora / Pythium spore trap used to analyse irrigation water. 10

11 Leaves Petri dish Figure 2: How the leaves should be placed on the petri dish. No more than 7 pieces on the dish. The leaves do not need to be round and can be cut into 0.5 x 0.5 cm squares (do not cut over a vein such leaves do not stay on the plate. *Based on and adapted from literature obtained from Citrus Research International 11

12 8. Mother Material Code of Practice Protocol MOTHER BLOCK ORIGIN AND VERIFICATION Mother block origin forms must be completed for each cultivar propagated by the nursery and available during SAMAC nursery inspections. The information should be supplied in the following format: Nursery: Cultivar: Date of Record: Macadamia Mother Block Origin Location Mixed cultivar planting (Yes/No) If yes, is it planted in blocks, rows or single trees If no, is block in close proximity (50m) to other cultivars? Which cultivars? No. Trees in mother block (of this cultivar) Date Planted Type of plant material (seed/ grafted seedlings/ cuttings/ grafted cuttings) Purpose Cutting/ Seed/ Scion Origin Source (obtained from?) Date of Source Planting Previous History Signature of nursery owner 12

13 PLANT IMPROVEMENT SCHEME The function of a plant improvement scheme is to improve the productivity and quality of the macadamia industry by ensuring that macadamia producers receive the best quality trees available. The program will deal with the selection, production and distribution of healthy, top quality trees Seed, cuttings and scions are only to be taken from the healthy trees Trees that do not perform according to the cultivar average for three years running are to be removed Each nursery will be required to have records of a protocol that was followed, and is being followed in order to select nuts from only superior quality trees The plant improvement scheme protocol can also be a document on a computer or website as long as it is easily accessible MOTHER BLOCK LABELLING The mother material from which the nursery gets its propagation material must be of a known origin Each mother block/ line (tree if mixed rows) must be clearly marked, indicating cultivar, date planted, and origin Each tree within the mother block must be supplied with an easily accessible, readable marking indicating line and tree number SEED, CUTTING AND SCION VERIFICATION Propagation material used in the nursery must be traceable to the mother block SAMAC Standardised Macadamia Cultivar Colour Codes could preferably be used in the nursery, but labelling with cultivar name/haes number is also acceptable WHITE 695 Primary Colour WHITE ORANGE RED PURPLE BLUE MAGENTA YELLOW GREEN L/BLUE ORANGE RED PURPLE BLUE MAGENTA YELLOW Nelmak 2 Nelmak D Yonik GREEN L/BLUE A4 A203 A16 NGX8 A38 Daddow The horizontal colour should be indicated above the vertical colour On dispatch of trees, this colour code or marking system must be used to identify trees A copy of the colour code / marking system should be handed to the client at dispatch in order for the client to readily identify individual cultivars MOTHER MATERIAL HEALTH SAMAC officials will investigate the mother material for visual health 13

14 Other characteristics such as nut size and quality, branch angles, root development and disease and pest resistance can be recorded 14

15 9. Seed and Seedling Selection Code of Practice Protocol Seed must be selected from a mother block that is traceable Seed must be picked from trees to ensure true to type (not collected from ground). Seed is a potential source of pathogens - specifically Oomycetes such as Pythium and Phytophthora spp., which are soilborne Seed should be treated with a sterilant - 10ppm free available chlorine (DPD-1) for 10 minutes will be sufficient Seeds should first be planted in a bed, and may not be planted directly into bags. Seedling roots are to be pruned before replant. This is to prevent bench roots being formed Seedlings must have well developed root systems as well as healthy foliage. Seedlings that do not comply must be removed from the batch during the transplantation process The selection process should continue after transplantation to ensure weak / diseased / sub-standard trees do not enter the grafting process 15

16 10. Nursery Bags Code of Practice Protocol Bags should not be used more than once, unless sterilised The growth medium height should be 250 mm minimum, and trees should be planted into a bag with a 2.5 litre minimum capacity for rooted cuttings or 5 litre minimum capacity for seedlings. It has come to SAMAC s attention that there is a certain bag which is called the Gladstone 4L bag, which in actual fact measures 2.5 L. This bag was used in SAMAC-funded research trials which helped determine the standards for bag sizes. Previous standards therefore indicated that the minimum bag size for cuttings was 4 litres. On dispatch, nursery bags must be neat, whole and in an acceptable condition (not perished) o The nursery would not be penalized for growing trees in a smaller bag should they have a written request from a customer. This is often done to save on transport costs. 16

17 11. Weak Plant Separation Code of Practice Protocol Weak / Deficient / Diseased plants should preferably be destroyed Weak / Deficient / Diseased plants may be separated from healthy plants o These selected plants must be clearly marked and kept in a plant hospital, separate from the healthy trees, for not more than three months o These plants must be treated according to their symptoms Plants kept under quarantine that do not respond to treatment within three months must be destroyed o These plants may not be sold, unless it is clear that there is no risk of contaminating healthy plants, and that the plants have recovered from all symptoms o It is recommended to do pathogen analysis on hospitalised plants before transfer to the commercial section It is recommended to keep records of the following data from the plant hospital : Date that plants entered the hospital Symptoms Treatment Treatment date Visual assessment dates 17

18 12. Display and Administration Code of Practice Protocol The following certificates and documentation should be up to date, on display and visible at all times SAMAC nursery accreditation system certificate SAAFQIS certificate o It is recommended to also display the SAMAC colour code, or the marking system the nursery has adapted, in order to assist workers as well as clients with the identification of cultivars, or should at least be available to clients at dispatch of plants The following documentation should be available on request SAMAC Nursery Protocol Water nutrient analysis Water pathogen analysis Media nutrient analysis Media pathogen analysis Media ph analysis Water ph analysis Mother Material Origin form Sales volumes Records of planting and grafting dates, as well as dispatch information, including buyer details. These records should be available upon inspection Sales volumes must be supplied to SAMAC each year before 31 January. 18

19 13. Plant Quality Code of Practice Protocol A minimum of 85% must be obtained for this section to qualify for nursery accreditation Leaves must be dark green, well formed, with no deficiencies or any chlorosis / necrosis There must be a minimum of 2 hardened flushes before sale There must be no insect damage on the new flush No visible pests in the nursery No damage to plant stems Plants must have a straight stem with no kinks Trees must be trained to a central leader up to 500mm Plants must have a well-developed root system Taproots must not be bent - i.e. must not have a gooseneck/ benchroot 19

20 Roots must not be pot bound: The graft union must be strong, healthy and not higher than 40cm. It is advised that a whip graft be used. No callus tissue should be visible at graft union Unless otherwise requested by the client, trees must be taller than 60 cm in height from the top of the planting medium The batches must be kept uniform Grafting tape must be removed before sale / dispatch Cuttings and seedlings should not be kept in the nursery for more than 24 months 20

21 14. Identified Pathogen Code of Practice Protocol This protocol must be followed after positive identification of macadamia pathogens, with specific relevance to Phytophthora and Pythium species The nursery manager / owner in conjunction with the SAMAC representative must take the following steps: o Identify the possible source of inoculum o If it is possible to isolate infected batches, these batches should be removed from the nursery area, to a separate plant hospital section and marked clearly for treatment, or otherwise destroyed o Initiate an integrated control treatment program to eliminate the inoculum source o Do random isolations of healthy trees to determine the extent of contamination o Monthly testing must continue for three months whereafter the nursery will be visited by a SAMAC representative who will take samples for evaluation 21

22 15. General Nursery Code of Practices Protocol Site cleanliness o Nursery Sites should be kept free of weeds o Plant material and inorganic litter should be removed Equipment and tools o Tools should be kept in the nursery confinement o Sterilization of equipment should be done at least once daily 22

23 16. Payment of Plant Breeders Rights Royalty Fees Code of Practice Protocol All SAMAC registered nurseries will pay plant breeders rights royalty fees in accordance with international plant breeders rights law. For the A-series cultivars, nurseries will work through and with the company Citrogold. Citrogold manages the distribution of labels and the collection of royalties for and on behalf of the Bell Cultivar Development Group worldwide All SAMAC nurseries propagating plant breeders rights- registered cultivars, are required to keep accurate records of the propagation, sales, distribution and own use of all such plants, cuttings and graftwood used to multiply such cultivars o The records must show: The number of cuttings taken in an attempt to root them The number of trees planted into nursery pots The number of trees that reached a saleable size The number of trees sold The number of trees successfully grafted and sold To whom any trees were sold, recording the date of sale Compliance with the SAMAC Nursery Tree Dispatch Code of Practice Protocol 23

24 17. Tree Dispatch Code of Practice Protocol A separate record book, recording the details of each delivery of nursery trees from each nursery (in the case of satellite nurseries) must be kept. The following details must be recorded: Trees must meet the standards set out in the SAMAC plant quality Code of Practice protocol Preferably be of an even height Be dark green in colour Be photo recorded Be linked to an invoice or reference number A dispatch sheet (can be obtained from SAMAC, but own sheets welcome) must be signed by the grower receiving the trees 24