Plantchek HLVd Testing
Plantchek · Plant health testing
Know your plants.
Protect your next harvest.
Bring HLVd screening into your facility with the Plantchek CRISPOT system. Test incoming plants, monitor mother stock and make informed decisions before problems move through your crop.
What is HLVd?
Hop latent viroid is a small, infectious RNA pathogen associated with “dudding” in cannabis. Infected plants may look healthy, or develop stunted growth, brittle stems and smaller leaves. Cannabis flower mass, trichomes, cannabinoids and terpenes can also be affected.
Appearance alone cannot establish plant health. Testing helps identify infections that visual inspections may miss.
How does it spread?
Infected propagation material and contaminated plant sap can move HLVd between plants. Shared tools and handling create opportunities for transfer. Research has also demonstrated transmission through roots in hydroponic systems and detected HLVd in recirculating nutrient solution.
Build prevention into everyday work.
01 · Start with tested stock
Source tested genetics. Keep incoming plants separate while assessing their status, and test mother plants before taking cuttings.
02 · Control cross-contamination
Separate tools and workflows by area. Remove plant debris and sap, and use a sanitation procedure supported by HLVd-specific evidence. Manage shared irrigation as a potential pathway.
03 · Test and keep records
Track plant IDs, sampling dates and results. Follow the current kit instructions and use a risk-based retesting schedule with your plant-health adviser.
Suspect HLVd or have a positive screen?
- Contain: isolate affected plants and pause propagation or movement from suspect stock.
- Confirm: follow your laboratory confirmation and escalation plan; assess related plants and shared systems.
- Respond: remove confirmed infected plants from production and contain contaminated debris.
- Reset: review tool sanitation, irrigation and plant movement before bringing tested stock back into the area.
A disinfectant does not cure an infected plant. Broad “virucidal” claims alone do not establish efficacy against HLVd.
Start screening. Keep screening.
New to the system? Choose the starter kit with the CRISPOT device and 24 tests. Already equipped? Select 24-, 96- or 240-test refills.
Plantchek lists approximately 60 minutes for initial preparation and testing, with additional samples every 25 minutes. Follow the current manual for sampling, controls and interpretation. A negative screen does not guarantee a plant is free of HLVd.
Storage: refrigerate tests upon receipt. Refill packs exclude the device and pipette tips.
Technical resources and further reading
Plantchek: system specifications and instructions
Pacific Northwest Extension: HLVd symptoms and management
Punja et al. (2025): HLVd transmission, spread and management
Need help choosing a testing format? Talk with the Growhaus team →
