Development of a biosensor for Fusarium Head Blight forecasting in wheat

Dr. Xiujie Susie Li, InnoTech Alberta, Vegreville

Start Date: March 1, 2019
 End Date: February 28, 2022    

Alberta Barley’s contribution: $ 5,000

The goal of this project is to develop an in-field, real-time biosensor for FHB forecasting. This project comes from the same scientist that is working on Sclerotinia sensors for Canola. Once a threshold level of spores has been detected by the Fg specific antibody, a warning will be sent out via bluetooth.

Objective 1: Design: Fusarium graminearum antibody coated biosensor chip suitable for FHB pathogen spore detection

Objective 2: Build FHB disease and its pathogen spore level correlation through growth chamber, greenhouse and field studies to determine the biosensor threshold.