New spore traps great for timely warnings

New spore traps can use modern DNA-based methods to identify and quantify threats to crops and send out warnings to growers within minutes.

This is one of the methods beng promoted by Home Grown Cereals Authority in the UK, in order to alert growers to disease pressures, so they can time pesticides properly and thus maximise the value of protectant sprays.

Dr Jenna Watts, HGCA Research Manager, said: “The key to protecting susceptible crops from disease is to get the timing of fungicide applications spot on.