A new range of plant healthcare fact sheets, designed specifically for the horticultural industry, have been launched and will soon prove invaluable for early detection and diagnosis of a range of plant diseases.

Produced by Central Science Laboratory’s (CSL) Plant Clinic diagnostic experts, the fact sheets make cutting-edge plant-care knowledge available to growers, free of charge, and help them to protect their crops more effectively.

The fact sheets cover six of the most common problems growers might encounter - phytophthora diseases, grey mould, downy and powdery mildews, pythium diseases of ornamental plants, and rusts. They will support the diagnosis carried out by the laboratory’s Plant Clinic experts, along with illustrations of typical symptoms and pathogen structures are sections on biology, diagnosis, chemical control and preventative measures.

CSL is the UK’s foremost public sector laboratory in the fields of agriculture, food and the environment. As an Executive Agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and its main role is to carry out research in support of government objectives.

Dr. Charles Lane explains: “We run the largest plant clinic in the UK, serving clients in the UK and overseas. Our experts have carried out extensive research on a number of these diseases - especially on improving their detection and diagnosis, and the fact sheets will be updated regularly, as soon as new information becomes available. In future we hope to cover a range of pests and diseases, and some of the screening package work we do - for example on soft fruits, potatoes, and some field vegetable crops.”