Oak wilt symptoms.
Image credit: Joseph OBrien, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org, CC BY 3.0. Cropped for use.
Background
Invasive pathogens represent a growing threat to agriculture and forest health worldwide. In Minnesota, the cost of damages caused by oak wilt fungus alone is estimated to be over $60 million. To mitigate the impact of such diseases, early and accurate detection is crucial. It can help prevent the spread of the diseases by enabling early and informed decision making.
Previous MITPPC-funded projects resulted in a successful development of a new technology for the sensitive and specific detection of the fungus that causes oak wilt (Bretziella fagacearum). The new technology combines a specific DNA amplification using Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) and a DNA amplicon visualization using nanoparticle assembly. This combination enabled naked-eye detection of target DNA in real samples within 30 minutes without using PCR (polymerase chain reaction) or other instrumentation. The assay also offers excellent sensitivity (100%) and specificity (100%), eliminating false positives and false negatives.
Researchers seek to build on this work to establish a versatile and portable diagnostic platform for the detection of invasive forest and plant pathogens afflicting the Midwest.
Research goals
- Extend the technology by developing and testing specific primers for the detection of multiple invasive forest and plant pathogens of the Midwest.
- Develop an assay platform to enable a rapid and user-friendly detection in the field.
- Conduct third-party, independent validation and field testing of the new technology.
Practical implications
The major impact of this project will be the improvement of diagnostic capabilities of plant diagnostic clinics and laboratories by offering a portable, highly sensitive and cost-effective tool for rapid diagnostics of major plant and forest pathogens.
Outcomes
This project began in January 2024 and is in progress for the next several years. Please check back at a later time for updates.
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