Archive Article: 2002/06/21

21 June 2002

This new test kit can confirm barley mild mosaic virus in cereals in minutes, says Chris Danks of York-based Central Science Laboratory. A barley yellow mosaic version is expected shortly. Developed with HGCA funding, the new kits use the same antibody technology as home pregnancy test kits. Two drops of a test solution are added to plant sap and after two or three minutes a barcode result is shown. Kits to check for mycotoxins and storage mites in grain are also planned.

Coming to a farm near you? Super-nettle clones from Austria could be a profitable cotton-like, fibre-producing crop for UK farmers, says CSLs Melvyn Askew.