New Technology Could Save Time Diagnosing Plant Viruses

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a common laboratory test method which now plays a crucial role in the arsenal of the AQ Plant Health Laboratory in Lincoln. It can turn a single DNA strand into a billion copies in just a few hours, which means viruses can be detected before the appearance of any disease, benefiting NZ growers.

“Perhaps the biggest impact for growers and farmers is the speed at which PCR testing delivers results. What once took weeks can now be sent to the farm in hours, allowing producers to make time sensitive decisions about their crops almost immediately,” says Rouke Bakker, senior scientist at the Plant Health Laboratory.

The AQ Plant Health Laboratory is the leading plant health and diagnostics facility in the country, providing  benefits to growers in helping to identify diseases caused by fungi, bacteria, viruses and physiological disorders, as well as seed health testing.