The article below was written on the BQ Support website and is about our use of BQ Support’s LelieGarant testing method.
‘Saving stall from disastrous consequences virus’
In the forcing of potted lilies, quality is a given. They know all about that at Wetering Potlilium. In recent years, the company has worked hard to keep PlAMV and other viruses at bay. LelieGarant’s system approach results in a virus-free stall. “The testing method and the discipline to work cleanly are a golden combination,” he says.
At Wetering Potlilium, they set high standards for the quality of their lilies. “You put several bulbs in a pot and want them all to grow well,” explains co-owner Peter van de Wetering. “So it could well be that we have a slightly different quality expectation of a bulb than a cutting grower. Also, our unique assortment means we have somewhat different quality requirements in some areas.” Wetering Potlilium, originally a potted plant nursery, started a collaboration with a breeder of genetically short potted lilies seventeen years ago. This created their own assortment that brothers Marco and Peter van de Wetering started growing themselves.
Maternity guard
Of the bulb crop, about 40% is destined for our own forcing and 60% is exported to forcing companies worldwide. “Within our bulb hatchery, we try to match our product to customer requirements as much as possible.” When PlAMV came around the corner in 2010, that was anything but obvious. “Entire stalls were in danger of being lost. That prompted us to think about a system, with which we could protect our stall from the disastrous effects of virus. A system with which we could work as safely as possible in the most economical way.”
However, according to the entrepreneur, it was a time when testing was still developing and tissue culture did not guarantee a clean start. “We have been very searching for a good testing method. Are you going to test only the bulbs or also the roots? And then what are the right times and volumes?” When BQ Support came to LelieGarant, a scientifically based method emerged that significantly reduces the risks of virus. “That was reason for us to step in. A good method with clear guidelines.”
Keys again and again
The approach at Wetering Potlilium begins with selecting plants that can be used for tissue culture. “You have to be sure that that plant is virus-free. And the propagation in the lab must also be precise. By always testing before you propagate further, you see that you build a good, virus-free stand.” The tissue culture material is used to grow scaly bulbs. This is done indoors in an enclosed environment for the first year, after which the bulbs go outdoors. “After one year of outdoor cultivation, LelieGarant stops, but that’s enough for us,” he says.
According to the entrepreneur, it’s all about the cultivation system and the discipline to work cleanly. “You try to check that with the testing method developed for LelieGarant. The combination ensures that we can say with reasonable certainty that we grow low-virus bulbs. This includes not only PlAMV, but also export viruses such as ArMV and SLRSV.” A total of nine viruses are tested for within LelieGarant. Van de Wetering does not call their cultivation method the holy grail, by the way. “There are several ways. It’s all about following a clear protocol.”
Reliable for buyers
LilyGarant is not a sales tool for Wetering Potlilium. “We operate in a separate market with a relatively small customer base. Customers buy from us because we meet their quality expectations. A label is not so relevant then. That is not to say that customers have no interest in LelieGarant. It is precisely because of this system that they can rely on our quality. Conversely, it gives us peace of mind in the organization. The test results are still good. At the same time, you have to keep holding up a mirror to yourself. In everything: you’re only as good as your last delivery. Especially with the elimination of crop protection products, it only becomes more important that you start clean.”