What did we achieve with VALITEST an EU project on validation in plant pest diagnostics?

peer reviewedEnsuring the reliability of diagnostic activities is an essential cornerstone of Plant Health strategies to reduce the risk of entry and spread of plant pests in a region and ultimately their impacts. Diagnostic tests should be validated to ensure that they are fit for purpose. Validation is usually done by diagnostic laboratories although companies commercializing diagnostic kits also produce validation data for their products. Due to the high number of pest , matrix and method combinations and given the significant resources required to validate tests, it is essential that validation data are shared with the entire diagnostic community and produced in a harmonized way to facilitate their use by different stakeholders. Indeed, the selection of tests to be used in specific contexts is not the sole responsibility of diagnostic laboratories and also involve National Plant Protection Organizations. The VALITEST EU project (2018-2021) was established to tackle all these issues. New validation data for tests targeting important pests for the EPPO region were produced. Guidelines to improve and harmonize the validation framework were developed. Sharing of validation data and experience was ensured through the development of new or existing databases, the organization of training courses and the dissemination of the project outputs in scientific publications and Standards. Finally, the involvement of researchers, diagnosticians, policy makers, inspectors, industries etc. and the establishment of the European Plant Diagnostic Industry Association were important actions to strengthen the interactions between Plant Health stakeholders

INDICANTS project : INnovative DIagnostiCs for bANana paThogens Surveillance

International audienceBanana is a major staple in developing countries and the most eaten fruit in Europe. Global banana production is constrained by several diseases responsible for yield losses and low productivity which may compromise food security. Four vascular diseases are of particular concern: Fusarium wilt disease of banana caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense (Foc), Moko and banana blood diseases, caused by Ralstonia solanacearum and R. syzygii subsp. celebesensis, respectively) and Xanthomonas wilt of banana caused by Xanthomonas vasicola pv. musacearum. Efficiency of surveillance and plant disease management requires the availability of Point of care (POC) diagnostics that can be operated directly on site. This poster describes the main objectives and early results of the INDICANTS project (INnovative DIagnostiCs for bANana paThogens Surveillance): (i) the development of low-cost multi-pathogens LAMP (Loop-mediated isothermal amplification) assays and the production of ready-to use kits by a private company (ii) the comparison of different simplified DNA extraction methods adapted to field. (iii) the validation of the LAMP protocols via an interlaboratory test and field surveys. (iiii) the evaluation of an emergent technology (CRISPR/Cas12a) for the diagnosis of Foc