NL: Combat PlamV with UV in the lily crop

More than 40 Dutch bulb growers use CleanLight equipment against a number of possible diseases on the crop, such as PlamV in the cultivation of lilies. In some cases this involves the killing of viruses in rinse water or boiling water. In many cases this involves killing the virus on the surface of the bulb.

By means of an exposure of less than 3 seconds, the virus on the bulb surface is deactivated. Nevertheless, it has taken a lot of work and time before this technology broke through within the sector.

Arne Aiking from supplier CleanLight states: "After the treatment, the virus is no longer active but still present. So, some researchers have, for years, declared that the virus was still found on the treated bulbs. And strictly taken, that was true. Fortunately, independent labs like HLB from Beilen confirmed that 3 weeks after treatment there really is a big difference: The treatment did not remove the virus, but it was made harmless."

Renate Ellens from HLB: "From the samples we see coming in, we can see the trend: On untreated bulbs, we still find PlamV after 3 weeks, while we usually do not find any virus on treated bulbs after 3 weeks. Score 40."

David Symanzig from CleanLight emphasizes: "It is therefore important that you do a test on the day of sampling to show that the PlamV was present, but also three weeks afterwards again to show that untreated bulbs are still infectious and that treated Bulbs are clean .. "