Wasco, Calif.—Vintage Nurseries announced it will open a new materials testing lab to test plant materials quicker and more thoroughly for clients. Heading up the new lab will be Tefera Mekuria, Ph. D., who formerly worked at the Washington State University research center in Prosser, Wash., where he studied plant viruses, vine pathogens and tree fruits. “We are creating a new standard,” Tefera said in a press release. “We want to be the leading resource for qualitative testing, with faster turnaround, increased sample sizes and uncompromising attention to detail. This will also include expanding collaborative relationships with universities, regulatory agencies and forward-thinking private firms, to achieve cutting edge results.”