Page 38 - Green knowledge 2023

Electronic nose detects plant pests
Foreign plant pests pose a significant threat to plant health and safe food production. In a new Horizon Europe (HEU) project, researchers aim to develop an electronic nose capable of sniffing out pests during the import of plants, thus preventing their spread.
Various types of plant pests often accompany imported plant material as stowaways. They can be challenging to detect and spread quickly, posing a substantial risk to native food production system and natural ecosystems. In the new HEU project ‘PurPest’, researchers from across Europe collabo- rate to develop a sensor platform that makes aims to accelerate identification of plant pests during import. The sensor will function as an electronic nose, capable of detecting the pests through volatile compounds, commonly referred to as odors or scent.
“All plants emit volatile compounds, a kind of plant odour or scent,” explains Dr Andrea Ficke, who coordinates the ‘PurPest’ project.
“The scent profile, i.e., the composition of the compounds emitted by the plant, changes when the plant is attacked by a pest. Attacks from different pests result in different scent profiles.”
This principle will be used to create a user-friendly sensor capable of detecting a selection of five pests on their respective hosts. The sensor will facilitate the detection of pests during import control and in the field. If a pest is detected, users can implement targeted measures, precision application of pesti- cides in the field.
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The project will also work on establishing new guidelines related to plant import, crucial to prevent- ing the spread of plant pests across borders.
“In the project, we collaborate across multiple disciplines and work closely with plant producers and plant importers. The goal is to develop technol- ogy and guidelines relevant to the users,” Dr Ficke says.
Photo: Erling Fløistad
Purpose:
Collaboration:
Funding: Contact:
The project aims to prevent the import of serious plant pests and control outbreaks in the field by developing a sensor platform that can quickly and easily detect infected plants.
SINTEF AS, NTNU, Plant and Import Control AS, and several international universities and research institutions.
EU program Horizon Europe, National Research Councils from the United Kingdom and Switzerland.
Research Scientist Andrea Ficke. Email: andrea.ficke@nibio.no, phone: (+47) 924 31 557. Division of Biotechnology and Plant Health.