The potato industry is well aware of the potential effects potato virus Y (PVY) can have on a potato crop. But, what benefits are there in testing for PVY during the potato season?
Why Is Testing For PVY During The Potato Season Important?
- Detect the presence or absence of PVY
- Provide visual evidence of the PVY situation within a crop
- Monitor or determine the success of disease management procedures
As we mentioned in our article, are you ready to combat Potato virus Y?, getting a definitive confirmation of the presence of Potato Virus Y is important. Relying on visual detection or hoping that your disease management techniques are ‘just going to work’ isn’t enough, you need to have evidence that your crop is disease free, or not, as is the case sometimes.
Agronomists, advisers and inspectors are of course experts and can probably determine many diseases by sight. But, some of their clients may not have the same skill or would like evidence of any disease presence or absence. So, being able to provide visual evidence by way of test results, in the field preferably provides definitive confirmation to clients of the disease-status of their crop. For agronomists, this ability to provide visual evidence could aid repeat business?
Another payoff of using a PVY test is that you may be able to monitor the success of disease management techniques. If you’re testing a potato crop regularly throughout the season in tandem with employing disease management protocols, then the success or failure of any techniques could be proved or disproved by testing for PVY. Of course, this methodology isn’t going to work if yield is low due to unmanageable growing or weather conditions because disease management techniques probably won’t have an impact anyway.
Test For Potato Virus Y Yourself While Still In The Field
There is no need to wait for an inspector to test your crop – that is if you are not already doing some testing! If you’re an agronomist or a grower you can test for potato virus Y yourself while still in the field – no need to rely on visual inspection or wait for lengthy lab results.
There is a quick in-field solution for testing for PVY. Pocket Diagnostic® supplies a potato virus Y rapid test that any potato industry professional can use. Requiring no technical training the test is a great tool for confirming the presence and indeed the absence of potato virus Y.
Our tests help to monitor potato crops all over the world and are used by growers, advisers and inspectors alike. Visit our plant disease tests page for more information.
