Consumer perception

摘要

I suppose one could re-title this particular column and call it "What worries us". The last four issues have been preoccupied by what appears to be a new manifestation of virus disease. No, that isn't an oblique introduction to the fifth issue on the same subject, just a reflection. The reasons for such a concentration of attention are at one level fairly obvious. We seem to be dealing with a problem capable of reducing yield levels quite drastically and, in many instances, a problem which also has a significant effect on mushroom quality. Alarming enough but what adds a real frisson of fear to our concern is our lack of understanding and, therefore, control of the problem. Unknown or not we are clearly dealing with an organic problem and must, therefore, have the confidence that knowledge and eventual control will be achieved. So to leave the subject for the moment, one can just repeat that work continues, to identify the causal organisms, to improve diagnosis and to discover the exact routes and their priorities of transmission. As an aside, I look forward to a name for this virus disease, if that is what we can finally confirm it is. At present we employ clumsy distinctions between virus as it was and this, whatever it is. We can't even agree on what to call virus as it was. I propose we call it Virus 35. What is in a name you are probably thinking? It's not that important I agree but if you call 'Deirdre' 'Fiona' at the wrong moment it can sometimes cause confusion. But enough of that, time will tell what we call this new problem once we know what causes it. For the moment Virus x seems good enough. The subject of Virus x will reoccur in this column and for that I make no apology although it is to be hoped that in that issue we can be more positive about cause, effect, spread and control - above all, control.