Disease Suppression

As has been mentioned earlier, the Viresco^TM and Humate products do not cure a disease once it has happened as might a fungicide. However, the Viresco^TM products suppress diseases in that they tend to prevent it happening in the first place. This is achieved by putting the growing medium and plant into a balanced situation. This is done by the introduction of a large number of a wide range of microbes to both growing medium and leaf. As a result, those microbes that might otherwise form a root or leaf disease do not get out of hand and become predominant enough to cause the disease. There will always be disease micro-organisms present when plants are grown. It is man that puts the growing medium and plant out of balance. Using Viresco^TM and Humate, will rectify this imbalance.

There was an article in the Autumn 1998 issue of the Newsletter of the Fritillaria Section of the Alpine Garden Society which referred to Viresco^TM. It was written by Dr. Bob Wallis and was entitled "Fungal Attack: if you can't beat them, join them". This referred to fritillaria keeling-over disease (FKOD). His answer to this fungal problem was to "infect the compost with the goodies so the baddies don't get a look in" and "use no fungicides". He uses Viresco^TM as the source of the "goodies"!

Because each microbial species has a place in nature, we do not like to refer to "goodies" and "baddies". However, Bob Wallis' words make our approach easy to understand. Ensure that the "goodies" are present in sufficient numbers so the "baddies" do not show as a disease.

Healthy, unstressed plants are less likely to become diseased and the use of Humate and Viresco^TM products will produce healthier, stronger plants which are more resistant to diseases.

In summary, the results of using Humate and Viresco^TM programmes are a properly balanced soil, a stronger/more massive root system and healthier, stress-resistant plants with the correct balance of nutrients to:

»   Improve biomass and flower production
»   Efficiently utilise available nutrient sources
»   Increase resistance to pathogens and other stresses
»   Reduce pressure from insects
»   Bio-remediate soil toxins and toxic residues
»   Decrease water, fertiliser and pesticide requirements