eDNA DETECTION - MARRYING NEW TECHNOLOGY WITH DECADES OF ACCUMULATED KNOWLEDGE

eDNA DETECTION -

MARRYING NEW TECHNOLOGY WITH DECADES OF ACCUMULATED KNOWLEDGE

Biosecurity planning and surveillance is important for the ongoing profitability and sustainability of the sugarcane industry.

Existing surveillance is based on trapping or in-field identification of pests and diseases by specialist entomologists and pathologists. It is hoped access to new technology and tools will improve and speed-up surveillance.

One SRA-supported research project is developing an in-field DNA-based method, similar to a rapid COVID-19 test, that plans to be efficient, cost-effective, and accurate, without input from experts. Other methods based on the presence of trace pest DNA on plant surfaces and soil are also being developed. “All organisms shed their DNA into the environment and this environmental DNA (eDNA), similar to a fingerprint, can reveal the presence of pests, even when the pest is no longer there,” EnviroDNA Project Manager Luke Noble said.

“Using eDNA sampling we are developing diagnostic assays to identify key sugarcane exotic pests, and also modelling the likelihood of incursion and spread based on factors such as climate, trade routes, and pest biology.

"'Pest forecast maps' can then be drawn up across northern Australia which will lead to improved incursion responses, and reduce the need for widespread chemical control. This then reduces potential environmental impacts and pesticide resistance,” Luke said.

Upskilling of government and industry surveillance staff in the application of these methods for sugarcane pests, including in-field capabilities, is a key output of the project.

“The ability of new tools, like eDNAbased tests, to identify things from the environment relies on decades of knowledge accumulated by the patient work of experts identifying species, and putting their DNA sequences into public databases.

“Genetic tools can help use that knowledge more widely, but maintaining progress in building reference databases remains crucial to all that we are doing now.”

SRA entomologist Dr Kevin Powell, Dr Luke Noble and Dr Lily Tran EnviroDNA and Hang Xu, USQ PhD student.

eDNA samples are bagged and sent to the laboratory for extraction and identification by DNA sequencing. Work on DNA extraction and rapid testing in the field is progressing in parallel with simple sampling methods.

For more information please visit the EnviroDNA website via the QR code provided.

SRA acknowledges the funding contribution of the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries towards this research activity.