The system, developed by UK scientists, will give farmers more security without needing to wait until signs of spore damage appear on wheatNew crop surveillance sensors and biomaterials have been successfully used to confuse and trick harmful fungal disease spores that attack wheat. The crop surveillance sensors use the latest generation of ‘Internet of Things’ electronics and machine-learning techniques. Previous DNA based approaches only showed the presence of specific spores, but the new sensor can identify the exact conditions for when spores turn from benign particulates to serious diseases. The sensors do this by literally tricking the fungal disease spores into growing within the team’s novel biomaterials, in the ‘belief’ that they have found their specific plant host and food source. The team deployed the sensor networks into Ethiopian wheat production to underpin future crop disease forecast modelling and control measures.

Source: Ethiopian News July 14, 2020 03:56 UTC