field-diagnostics
Field-diagnostics is the practice of identifying plant diseases, pest damage, and nutritional deficiencies directly in agricultural and natural environments. This capability is essential for plant science because it enables rapid, on-site assessment that informs immediate management decisions and supports research into disease resistance and crop resilience. By providing timely diagnostic information, field-diagnostics bridges laboratory research and practical agriculture, enhancing disease control and crop productivity.
PubMed · 2026-02-20
Researchers developed a portable CRISPR-based test that detects citrus stubborn disease in the field within minutes using simple sample preparation, potentially transforming disease management from laboratory-dependent to on-site diagnostics.
CRISPR-Cas12a assay achieves detection limit of 1 attomolar (1.8 genome copies) with plate reader, 10 aM with lateral flow format
100% diagnostic accuracy compared to gold-standard qPCR when validated with extracted DNA from symptomatic citrus samples
10-minute crude extraction protocol (NaOH-Tris) enables equipment-free sample preparation with 70% accuracy in field-compatible lateral flow format
