In an era dominated by sensors, laboratories remain indispensable in agriculture, ensuring accuracy, credibility, and compliance.
Rotterdam, Netherlands – September 26, 2023 – In a world increasingly reliant on sensor technology, the continued relevance of laboratories in agriculture was a topic of discussion at the recent International Propagation Seminar hosted by Grodan. Ines van Marrewijk, representing Normec Groen Agro Control, explored why laboratories persist in an age of sensors and highlighted their invaluable contributions to agriculture.
Laboratory equipment, as Ines pointed out, often comes with a hefty price tag, in stark contrast to the cost-effective sensors widely used today. However, Ines stressed the importance of data validation and accreditation, especially when dealing with matters of legislation. Laboratories, with their stringent quality control procedures, play an essential role in ensuring data accuracy and reliability.
Normec Groen Agro Control’s laboratory journey began approximately three decades ago, primarily focusing on researching water quality. During that era, ultraviolet (UV) purification standards were the norm. Over the years, their scope expanded to encompass nutrition and residue analysis, with Ines personally overseeing monitoring systems for GlobalGAP compliance.
In the realm of horticulture, Ines highlighted the use of gas tubes to simulate ethylene or fluoride within greenhouses and assess their impact on crops. Normec Groen Agro Control operates its trial greenhouses, offering insights into how different substances affect plant growth.
The discussion delved into diverse methods for testing plant diseases. Visual inspection, aided by microscopy, aids in narrowing down the potential causes of plant distress, be it a virus, an insect infestation, or nutritional deficiencies.
Quick tests, suitable for both growers and laboratory technicians, were also explored. Ines cautioned about the importance of proper protocol adherence when using quick tests, as deviations could lead to erroneous results, even when the sample is virus-free. To enhance the reliability of these quick tests, Normec Groen Agro Control continuously develops improved protocols.
Despite the proliferation of advanced techniques, ‘old-fashioned’ agar plates continue to serve a crucial role in laboratory analysis, particularly for water quality assessments. While PCR and Elisa tests detect DNA or RNA material, agar plates distinguish between live and dead DNA or RNA—an essential distinction for water quality analysis. Normec Groen Agro Control has leveraged agar plates to conduct germ counts on general fungi and developed specialized plates for pathogens like Phytophthora and Pythium.
Elisa, a method employing antibodies to identify specific virus proteins, plays a pivotal role in pathogen detection. Ines emphasized how Elisa tests, particularly ELISA-TMV, were instrumental in alerting the global community to the tomato mosaic virus outbreak. However, for Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV), PCR tests prove more sensitive than Elisa tests, leading Normec Groen Agro Control to develop its own PCR tests for ToBRFV detection.
In the context of seed testing, the International Seed Federation advocates for the use of PCR tests, underscoring their increasing prevalence and reliability.
Ines also touched on Bio-PCR tests, an option that gauges water purity by applying water samples to plants and observing their response. While informative, Bio-PCR tests may be intricate for growers to execute independently. For comprehensive water purity assessment, consideration of pathogens like Fusarium and Pythium is essential—absence of living pathogens generally signifies inactive viruses.
Ines’s insights highlighted that laboratories, with their precise methodologies, remain integral in modern agriculture. They complement the capabilities of sensors, ensuring data integrity and accuracy—a fundamental requirement in an industry striving for optimal productivity and sustainability.