disease-diagnostics
Disease diagnostics in plant science encompasses the methods and technologies used to identify, characterize, and detect pathogens and disorders affecting plants, ranging from traditional visual assessments to advanced molecular and genomic tools. Accurate and early diagnosis is critical for understanding disease etiology, enabling targeted interventions, and preventing widespread crop losses. As plant diseases threaten food security globally, improved diagnostic approaches help researchers and growers respond swiftly to emerging threats and manage plant health more effectively.
PubMed · 2026-04-02
Scientists have reviewed cutting-edge DNA-based tools that can rapidly and accurately identify the fungal pathogens responsible for devastating crop diseases, which destroy up to 30% of global harvests each year. These technologies — from standard PCR to portable CRISPR-based tests — are making it faster and cheaper to catch infections before they spread.
Fungal pathogens are responsible for over 80% of plant disease infections, contributing to annual crop losses of up to 30% of global yields.
Isothermal amplification methods (such as LAMP and RPA) can detect fungal pathogens without the thermal cycling equipment required by traditional PCR, enabling low-cost, field-deployable testing.
Combining CRISPR/Cas systems with isothermal amplification (e.g., RPA-CRISPR, LAMP-CRISPR) further improves detection sensitivity and specificity, supporting precision disease management.