In order to quickly spot viruses in plants, there is a new technology hitting the market. CIRAD, the French Agricultural Centre for International Development, has created the Oxford Nanopore MinION. The MinION uses a sequencing approach to see different viruses in plants.
The sequencing approach is explained by Phillippe Roumagnac, a virologist from CIRAD, as being able to “sequence match” viral genomes. CIRAD was able to do this testing on a diseased yam. With success linked to these tests, we now have an increase of knowledge on hundreds of viruses being discovered. In addition to these discoveries, we are now aware of the roles viruses have in ecosystems. In short, the presence of viruses in plants is common due to the ecological roles they fill.
These new mobile laboratories will detect viruses earlier than ever before. For example, some possible target viruses are Ebola and Zika, which can be harmful if eaten by humans or animals. There can also be a chain reaction found, as animals like cows and pigs eat contaminated plants, now their meat is contaminated. When their meat is contaminated and sold at supermarkets humans can then purchase and eat these in forms of bacon, hamburgers, etc.. With earlier detection of these viruses there will be less unknown consumption and less food recalls within the industry. As a result, human and animal health will increase drastically, along with less money lost on recalls within the industry.
Cirad. “Mobile, instant diagnosis of viruses.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 10 January 2019. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/01/190110101410.htm>.
Denis Filloux, Emmanuel Fernandez, Etienne Loire, Lisa Claude, Serge Galzi, Thierry Candresse, Stephan Winter, M. L. Jeeva, T. Makeshkumar, Darren P. Martin, Philippe Roumagnac. Nanopore-based detection and characterization of yam viruses. Scientific Reports, 2018; 8 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-36042-7
