Wyevale Lists New Blight Check Garden Test
A new and innovative test for blight on potatoes and tomatoes is now available across the country through the Wyevale group of garden centres. Developed by York-based Forsite Diagnostics Ltd, Blight Check allows vegetable gardeners to detect the blight fungus at the first sign of damage.
Agreement over stocking the product was reached in May between Wyevale and Forsite Diagnostics. All Wyevale garden centres now carry Blight Check across 122 retail centres nationwide.
The strong upsurge in Grow Your Own vegetables has produced a large number of gardeners who are new to growing potatoes and tomatoes – both of which are very susceptible to blight.
‘These new enthusiasts need all the help they can get to recognise and control blight’, says Sophie Gehin, Wyevale’s Gardening Buyer.
Potato and tomato crops are growing strongly now and the threat of blight is real. With the summer off to a wet start in many parts of the country, the risk of blight is increasing.
Sophie advises gardeners to keep a close eye out for blackened areas on leaves and stems and to use Blight Check to confirm if it is blight. ‘With blight spreading so quickly through a crop in wet conditions, early detection is important if control measures are to be effective’, says Sophie.
Forsite Diagnostics develops and manufactures rapid tests for the international agricultural and food industries, including the Pocket Diagnostic brand of plant health tests for professional growers.
Launched last year, Blight Check is a highly sensitive, easy to use test which gives a ‘yes/no’ result in 3-5 minutes. On the basis of the result, the grower can then decide on what action is necessary to best protect their crop.
More information can be found at www.pocketcheck.co.uk and www.forsitediagnostics.com.
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