Intellectual property rights

Plant material can be protected in a number of ways.  Through licence agreements, Plant Breeders Rights, Trademarks, Patents etc.

Breeder’s Rights belong to the family of laws under intellectual property rights.  In order to make economic progress it is important to stimulate breeders to constantly come up with new cultivars.  

The holder of a plant breeder’s right is granted exclusivity in respect of the production, sale or other form of marketing, import into and export from the Republic of South Africa of propagating material or harvested material of the protected variety according to the Plant Breeders’ Rights Act No. 15 of 1976.  (www.daff.gov.za)

A PBR is infringed by any person who, not being the holder of the PBR, performs, or causes to be performed without a licence the following acts:

1. production or reproduction (multiplication)
2. conditioning for the purpose of propagation
3. sale or any other form of marketing
4. exporting
5. importing
6. stocking of any propagating material or harvested material, including plants obtained through unauthorized use of propagating material of the relevant variety.

A licensee that fails to comply with any term or condition of a licence also infringes the PBR.  It is also an infringement to use the approved denomination of a protected variety in relation to a plant or propagating material of any other variety for any purpose, or to sell plants or propagating material of a protected variety under any other denomination than the approved denomination of that variety.

(Adapted from:Bowman Gilfillan and DM Kisch Inc)

Pest and Disease Control

Many pests and diseases are endemic to the Western Cape.  Fungal disease is always related to temperature and humidity.  Where temperature is above 18°C and is accompanied by high relative humidity of 75% fungal invasion can occur in most varieties. 

Insect numbers are also determined by temperature and moisture conditions.  Low population levels are present at all times however they become problematic mainly in late autumn.  Attention should be given to the stage of the plant as soft growth is most often attacked. 

Air movement, light levels and selecting the correct variety or variant for a particular location are important considerations.

Chemical control is required to ensure infestations are minimized.  This can be done by using contact and systemic chemicals.

Chemicals should not be sprayed in full sun if temperatures are greater than 25°C.  Best cover is obtained when applied in the morning just as the foliage is drying off.

Botrytis
A botrytis spray programme should be followed on all cone products from the start of flowering to harvesting.

The following products have been found to be successful for the control of botrytis on Proteaceae.  These products are not registered for use on Proteaceae:

Starting from flowering the following products should be alternated at a maximum of 3 weekly intervals:

Systemic: Rovral Flo 200ml/100litre, Scala 120ml/100litre, Switch 40g/100litre.
Contact: Teldor at 75ml/100litre.

Post-harvest Teldor should be sprayed on the product in the packshed at 75ml/100litre.

Scala and Switch should not be sprayed more than twice per season and Teldor not more than three times per season as resistance to the product can build up.

Carrying out a post-harvest spray without the previous in field sprays is not effective.

Phytopthora cinnamomi
This is a root rot disease, most losses occur during the first two years after establishment in the field during the drier months.  Spores are waterborne and multiply rapidly when soils are wet and temperatures above 18°C.  The plant starts showing chlorotic leaves and eventually the whole plant wilts.  If the external bark is removed, dark patches are present.  No feeder roots are present.  The genera most susceptible are Leucospermum, Leucadendron and Serruria.

Clean nursery material, sanitation, fungicides, plant resistance and cultural practices can all help to reduce the infection by Phytophthora.  Soils can be disinfected before planting with solarisation, fumigants and drenches.  Poorly drained soils and low lying sites should be avoided.  Water stress should also be minimized.

For more information on pests and diseases affecting Proteaceae the book ‘Guide to diseases and pests of commercial fynbos in South Africa/'n Gids vir siektes en plae van kommersiële fynbos in Suid-Afrika’ is available.