Portland, Maine
September 25, 2007
EnviroLogix, a leader
in the development and manufacture of diagnostic test kits for
GMOs and plant pathogens, has released the QualiPlate for
Lettuce Mosaic Virus (LMV). This test simplifies the LMV testing
process enabling analysis labs to deliver test results faster
and with greater data consistency and integrity.
The “ready-coated” QualiPlate™ takes only two hours to perform
compared with other LMV tests kits. The increased productivity
and throughput allowed by the faster test time of the
EnviroLogix QualiPlate for LMV will enable labs to test more
plates during very time critical periods.
The key behind the EnviroLogix QualiPlate for LMV is that the
plates are pre-coated by EnviroLogix in their production lab to
precise standards. This ensures uniformity of plate preparation
and provides the users the convenience of not having to coat
plates in advance of running the test.
“The QualiPlate is pre-coated and quality tested in our lab,
which is a real advantage for customers in the time sensitive
process of high volume testing,” said Karen McGuire,
Horticultural Diagnostics Lead at EnviroLogix. “Our goal in
developing the QualiPlate for LMV was to give labs a tool to
decrease testing time and to increase the consistency of
results.”
German Hoyos, PhD, Senior Scientist for Plant Pathogens at
EnviroLogix suggested that “our precision manufacturing
equipment ensures greater control of the test preparation for
improved accuracy and precision, and more consistent data
quality.” Independent studies of the QualiPlate’s performance
supports this proposition.
The QualiPlate Kit for LMV is available individually or in sets
of 10 plates or 50 plates. All reagents are included in the kit.
Labs interested in using the QualiPlate kit in large numbers
should contact EnviroLogix for a price quote.
The QualiPlate Kit for LMV is part of a growing line of plant
pathogen diagnostics from EnviroLogix. Over the past year, the
company has built on its reputation in developing antibodies,
test technologies and diagnostic test kits for a variety of GM
traits, by introducing rapid tests for soybean rust, Bacterial
Fruit Blotch and Botrytis. According to Bruce Ferguson,
President of EnviroLogix, there will be additional products
released this fall. “We are committed to developing other plant
pathogen diagnostic and GM trait identification tests in a
variety of formats to serve the needs of seed companies,
agricultural companies, growers and distributors,” he said.
About LMV
Lettuce Mosaic Virus (LMV) is a potyvirus disease of solanaceous
plants, in particular lettuce, with considerable worldwide
economic impact. LMV is seed-borne in all lettuce types;
however, aphids can efficiently transmit the virus contributing
to the secondary spread of LMV. The primary host of LMV is all
lettuce types, escarole, endive, as well as pea, sweet pea and
marigolds. The long list of host plants and the globalization of
seed distribution contributed to the spread of this virus to
virtually every country where lettuce is grown. Seed-borne
infected plants show mosaic and stunting and will never develop
marketable heads. Later infections (secondary spread) could
result in mosaic, leaf puckering, and deep or accentuated
serration of the leaf margins. It may be difficult to diagnosis
this disease in the field due to the presence of other viruses
on the plants. |
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