26 - Virus detection using nanobiosensors

Abstract

Infectious plant pests and pathogens are high risk threats for the provision of food security and fulfilling the increased demand of better nutritional value. They cause declines in crop yield and hence cause huge economic losses. Current detection platforms, that is, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), quantitative PCR, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and other membrane blotting techniques, are based on serological and molecular methods that have good specificity and sensitivity but on the other hand these are highly tedious, time-intensive, and need skilled staff and sophisticated lab infrastructure. Therefore timely control of pests can only be done if pests detection can be performed on the site of infection. For this, comparable techniques need to be developed that work in field conditions and can be performed by the nonskilled people. Nanotechnology plays a crucial part in miniaturization of sensor setups along with their role in other applications. A large variety of nanomaterials possessing different shape, size, and morphology have been reported as the transducer material of these sensors. In this chapter, we have discussed major classes of these nanomaterials, their chemical, physical, and optical properties and consequently their use in sensor design against various plant pathogens. In addition, reports of different point-of-care devices have been focused that are at pilot scale and are involved in agrodefense.