Researchers probe blueberry disease

A team of researchers is looking to uncover the mysterious cause of a new disease damaging blueberry fields across the province.

Over the last few years, farmers have tested plants showing symptoms of disease for blueberry scorch and other diseases. However, more and more plants are testing negative while symptoms persist, leaving producers unsure how to protect their fields.

But on August 22, researchers announced plans for a two-year project funded by Genome BC and the BC Blueberry Council to identify what’s behind this latest hurdle to yields and profitability.

“In 2020, for instance, 18% of samples from damaged plants tested negative for both the blueberry scorch virus and blueberry shock virus,” says SFU associate professor of biology and project lead Jim Mattsson. “We need to know what is affecting these blueberry bushes to find out how to reduce the spread of disease.”

As part of the research team, the BC Blueberry Council is working with its partners to determine the cause of the new disease, interpret the results and facilitate knowledge transfer initiatives.

“The real practical deliverable is that through this work we are identifying new strains of the known viruses, shock and scorch. And then we’re also identifying at least one of the new viruses that we have found in the Pacific Northwest,” says BC Blueberry Council research director Eric Gerbrandt. “We have found a pretty widespread presence of a new virus that may be contributing to disease, but we don’t really know how it interacts with the known viruses and whether or not it actually contributes to disease.”

Once the cause is determined, the team will work with North Saanich’s Phyto Diagnostics Co. Ltd. to develop a diagnostic test for the new virus using genomic information, Genome BC says.

“We are looking to work with Phyto Diagnostics to update their diagnostic tools so that we can more effectively figure out what diseases are present in each plant out there in the field,” Gerbrandt says.

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2 hours ago

It was another sell-out at the 31st annual Fort Langley Cranberry Festival on Saturday with organizers selling 5,000 pounds of locally-grown, fresh berries in less than five hours. Youth from the Fort Langley Lions Club's Young Lions program scooped, bagged and weighed several pallets' worth of cranberries. Ocean Spray donated the berries, which the public bought to benefit the community. Local grower The Bog was also selling fresh berries, having brought 2,700 pounds, which were on track to sell out by the end of the#BCAgt.

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5 days ago

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Love it - Deb Etsell I see you 🤩

6 days ago

BC was the sole province to see farmland values decline in the first half of this year, dropping 1.9% according to a Farm Credit Canada report released Octover 7. This represented an acceleration in value declines from last year, and contributed to a 3.9% decline in the 12 montsh ended June 30. The drop follows on a 1.7% decline last year, which Farm Credit Canada attributed to tougher times in the fruit sector. However, the mid-year report points to a broader slowdown in value growth diven by higher production costs, tighter margins and uncertainty around trade, tariffs and international markets.

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Ndp

3 weeks ago

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Photo | Barb Edmonson / Firefly Ranch, Clinton

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Feedback on changes to rules governing food processing in the Agricultural Land Reserve has drawn about 250 submissions. But the proposal now hangs in the balance with Premier David Eby's decision to call a snap election, which also delays discussions of assistance for farmers hit hard by this year's wildfires and historic #BCAght.

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What would you expect from the NDP, when they still had a 2 year mandate?

Ridiculous timing. We have people needing answers and have to plan for winter supplies. Fires are long past, months have gone by knowing there was going to be the need for support. Drought was written on the wall even before summer began with no snow pack. This is not new to government and they are calling for another year just as bad for 2027. I throw my hands up and wonder what else needs to be more challenging than what we've experienced over the last 6 years in BC?

250 submissions.... I'm pretty sure there are more than 250 farmers in BC