… don’t be caught with your plants down.
Greenhouse virus diseases often have symptoms so subtle at first that early detection can be difficult. But using test kits can help. The kits could be especially important this year because Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV) is increasingly prevalent. This disease has the potential to spread to most greenhouse crops. And because growers might not recognize the symptoms right away, finding it early is critical.
Test kits can help greenhouse producers know, for sure, whether their plants are infected with TMV or not.
Test kits can also help with Impatiens Necrotic Spot Virus (INSV), which shows up in many NY greenhouses nearly every year. It’s equally important to catch this disease early — like TMV, it begins with subtle symptoms and can spread to a variety of crops via thrips.
The test kits are based on antibodies that recognize specific diseases. Their results are very reliable. Test kit procedures have become much more user-friendly over the past few years and come with complete instructions.
For more information, check out this University of Massachusetts website or download this e-GRO pdf.
If you’re a NY greenhouse grower and have questions about the test kits or your results, contact Brian Eshenaur at bce1@cornell.edu
Author: Brian Eshenaur, Sr. Extension Associate NYS IPM
Photo courtesy Brian Eshenaur