Alchimia presents Cannatester, a test for the detection of viruses in cannabis.
Cannatester, marijuana virus test
Who hasn’t ever regretted introducing into their cultivation some precious cuttings given to them by a friend? These situations are frequent, and we all know they entail a risk. Sometimes, by the time we realise it, it is too late, and both the mother room and the flowering room are infested.
Pests like the Red Spider or the Micro Mite used to be the most feared and widespread among cuttings growers, but there are now much worse and quite common threats.
There are viruses, many of them latent that affect the growth, flower formation, and resin production of our plants. These can spread to our collection of mothers and future blooms, with no effective solutions available for most growers, making it a real headache.
A simple trip can act as a vector to transmit the virus to all the plants in our cultivation. Likewise, when carrying out pruning or multiplication by cuttings, a simple pair of scissors can infest a large number of plants.
The rise of virus-infested cannabis cuttings from the USA is becoming increasingly frequent, and many growers are not aware of this until they lose several harvests. Not only that, but the virus can also spread to all those genetics stored for years. Meanwhile, by continuing to share those genetics and their cuttings (which may also carry viruses), the virus reaches more growers and spreads to other plants.
Weak growth, brittle branches, or plants without resin are just some of the symptoms of virus-infected plants. Some of these viruses remain dormant and reappear unexpectedly in later harvests. In such cases, the only solution is to go through a laboratory, as plant protection products offer no remedy.
Cannatester, an analysis/test to detect viruses in marijuana
Cannatester can detect the following viruses:
- Hop Virus
- Arabis Mosaic Virus
- Alfalfa Mosaic Virus
- Hemp Mosaic Virus
- Hemp Striga Virus
- Tobacco Mosaic Virus
How does Cannatester work?
Cannatester tests living plant material, requiring only small portions of the plant, such as leaves, petioles, or stems.
Find a clean place to perform the test, wear gloves, and open the envelope. Inside, you will find a pipette, tweezers, and a reagent (discard the blotting gel). Unfortunately, many of us are now familiar with this type of test, as it is very similar in format to those used for detecting Covid-19.
It is crucial to disinfect all utensils, such as scissors and the tray (e.g., a Petri dish), with alcohol before use. Parts of leaves and stems will be used in the analysis and placed into the pipette, where the reagent will be added later. Using the tweezers, mix everything thoroughly to break up the contents as much as possible so that the liquid turns green due to the chlorophyll. Shake the pipette after closing it and wait 5 minutes. Place a drop from the pipette onto the test strip and wait another 5 minutes for the result:
- C: Healthy plant (negative test)
- No line: Null test
- T: Null
- C and T: Positive result (plant infected with a virus)
Cannatester Information
- The product is valid for testing cannabis for viruses.
- Easy and simple to use.
- Includes tweezers, pipette, and reagent.
