Pest & Disease Prevention
If at all possible, all plants should be started from sterilized seed at
Uplands Farm using an appropriate soil mixture. Because of nutrient deficiency
and pathogen infection, soil cannot be reused. Plants should be potted in clean
pots (either new from stock or used that have been washed and sterilized).
Plants brought in from areas outside the farm must be inspected by the farm
manager to eliminate the possibility of pest introduction. Users should arrange
an appointment for inspection prior to bringing their plants to the farm.
Monitoring
As users spend considerable time in the
presence of their plants, they should also assist staff in the examination and
early detection of pest problems. Users should have a working knowledge of
common pest symptoms and be able to spot any potential problems. In this way
early treatment may be instituted and pest effects minimized.
Order of Entry
To minimize pest spread, an "order of entry" protocol exists
throughout the facility. Users should enter clean areas first and move to
infected ones and never the reverse. Typically this means starting out in the
growth chamber area and then proceeding to the greenhouse. Once in the
greenhouse, rooms are entered in the same sequence: clean to infected. An order
of entry sequence is posted on the WPS white board. After leaving an infected
room, users should exit the facility immediately. They should not re-enter any
other greenhouse room nor return to the growth chambers.