A new pot and tray combination that helps reduce the risk of disease transmission in propagated raspberry plants is now available in the UK.
Until recently, commercial raspberries were often propagated in pots and placed on the ground, allowing plant roots to grow into the soil beneath, or be affected by rain splash. This method made the risk of soil-borne disease transmission a major concern for growers.
In response to customer demand for a solution, Dutch manufacturer Bato Plastics has developed a new pot and tray combination that creates a 5cm gap between the pot and soil, making it harder for disease to spread.
Now the product is available to British growers from Agrovista. Head of Fruit at Agrovista, Mark Davies said: “It’s always better to prevent disease from developing in the first place, than having to take curative action with chemical solutions once the problem has taken hold.
“A simple yet innovative solution such as this from Bato is ideally placed for use in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programmes. Not only are plants less disease prone, but they are healthier and more robust, reducing the reliance on traditional pesticide products.”
The reusable pot holder has been specifically developed for raspberry plants – holding 12 x 1.6L square pots. Because all pots are spaced at equal distance from each other, plants receive the same amount of light, aiding uniformity.
Mark added: “We’ve worked in partnership with Bato for several years, bringing a range of high-quality propagation and growing products to the UK fruit market. Dutch growers are some of the most progressive in the world, so we are delighted to be able to offer our growers a solution driven by them.”
The tray and corresponding pots were developed in conjunction with Het Broek Softfruit B.V. For more information, contact enquiries@agrovista.co.uk