10 A prime message from Alveo Technologies, Inc. is “Know sooner, act faster.” Based out of Alameda, California, the company has developed a molecular sensing and disease diagnostic lab device that fits in the palm of your hand. In late October 2023, Alveo announced a collaborative partnership with Corteva Agriscience to help further the use of eco-friendly molecular sensing and disease diagnostic technology, including a first-in-field agricultural disease diagnostic. Corteva is engaged in the development of real-time PCR-based tests for plant pathogens. A PCR test is a polymerase chain reaction test to detect genetic material from a specific organism, such as a virus. However, PCR testing requires trained technicians and a large lab facility and is not easily accessible to farmers in the field. To compensate, Alveo and Corteva are working to create user-friendly tech farmers can use in the field, thereby cutting out delays in lab work and getting immediate answers on how to proceed. Alveo has a rapid, handheld, portable medical-grade platform—be.well—that pairs advanced molecular assays with cloud-enabled data analytics for real-time disease, pathogen analysis, and diagnosis. The plan is for scientists from Corteva to use the highly sensitive multiplexed molecular testing Alveo platform to design crop-specific assays that will be able to detect pathogens in a farmer’s field. Corteva Agriscience said that it would offer different crop protection products to meet the needs of various agricultural requirements, including Corteva’s primary row crops like corn, cotton, and soybeans but also other crops like sunflower, cereals, fruits, and vegetables. The company’s plans include disease-specific assay development and field testing to validate a variety of mobile diagnostic applications. Specifically, Corteva will pair its extensive experience in plant disease and molecular diagnostics with Alveo’s innovative sensing technology to pilot agricultural diagnostic applications. “At Corteva, we believe that innovation is the solution to address the global challenges of food security, climate change, and biodiversity loss. That is why we are committed to forging collaborations that help drive critically needed innovations in this field. By collaborating with companies like Alveo that share our vision of creating a more sustainable and resilient food system, we can accelerate the development and adoption of new solutions that benefit farmers, consumers, and the environment,” explained Gina Zastrow-Hayes, Director of the Biotechnology Genome Center of Excellence at Corteva Agriscience. Shaun Holt, the Chief Executive Officer of Alveo, explained more. “Alveo has developed a gamechanging mobile molecular lab that can deliver highly sensitive and specific diagnostic testing where it is needed, which can help solve some of the world’s most complex problems, like pandemics and global food crises.” The development of a rugged, sensitive molecular test requires a rigorous, structured product development process, comprising a minimum of four key phases: the feasibility phase, the design and development (D&D) phase, the verification and validation (V&V) phase, and finally, field testing. The timeline for this development will be contingent upon factors like the complexity of the tests, including the number of pathogens to be detected (and more). ADVANCING MOLECULAR CROP DISEASE DIAGNOSTICS ANDREW JOSEPH FARMS.COM PHOTO: Serhii – stock.adobe.com
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