"PathoScout” - portable DNA analysis for Precision Agriculture

Farmers of high value horticultural crops and large acre field crops face challenges to control fungal and oomycete pathogens in conditions where disease epidemics can substantially reduce marketability of produce and yield. Early detection of pathogens that cause important diseases will allow crop protection products to be applied only when needed, which will maximise control efficacy and reduce unnecessary applications thereby reducing costs and lowering the carbon footprint of production.

This project will use Rothamsted's culture collection and archived spore samples, along with project partners, to research the feasibility of creating kits of diagnostic LAMP assays for specific pathogens, develop and test generic methods to release DNA from spores, including spores trapped onto sampling rods of rotorod spore traps, test methods to purify the DNA and test an engineered fluidic system to automate the handling of samples to release DNA, purify it and perform a LAMP assay. We will focus on important pathogens of protected and outdoor crops; Botrytis cinerea (grey mould of many horticultural crops), Phytophthora infestans (potato blight), Erysiphe necator (grape powdery mildew) and Puccinia striiformis (wheat yellow rust).

Stabilised LAMP assay reagents will be produced by Polygenyn Ltd and tested by Rothamsted. The diagnostic test itself will be designed for use in a lightweight, portable, battery-powered device, which will be produced by Agri-Samplers Ltd using a fluidic cassette developed by Microbritt Ltd. The device will be compatible with tests performed on ground-up leaf or fruit samples and also samples of airborne particulates captured in air using a spore trap.

The overall aim is to explore the feasibility of creating a portable user-friendly and low-cost diagnostics tool to support crop protection, based on novel fungal spore detection by LAMP technology for same-day testing by the user with samples of either captured airborne spores or leaf or fruit samples.

A successful feasibility outcome will deliver an automated DNA analysis platform with broad applications beyond agriculture. It will transform crop protection practices and improve the resilience of UK agriculture to diseases made more sporadic by climate change.