Our laboratory at FiBL Switzerland gives us the opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of biological plant protection products. It allows us to test products such as fungicides or resistance inducers under controlled and standardized conditions for systems such as grapes/downy mildew, apples/ scab, apples/Marssonina- induced leaf drop as well as tomato blight and foliage or tuber blight in potatoes. For each test, six seedlings are treated either in an automated spray booth, or manually where product quantity is limited. The seedlings are subsequently inoculated with the pathogen and assessed 6 to 21 days later. The laboratory can also test products for rainfastness and UV resistance.
Hans-Jakob Schärer, FiBL Switzerland
