RECENT ADVANCES IN LATERAL FLOW ASSAY FOR DETECTION OF PLANT PATHOGENIC BACTERIA

Abstract

Plant pathogenic bacteria (PPBs) are widespread and pose a significant threat to global agriculture due to their ability to cause several diseases. Early and accurate detection of these pathogens is crucial for effective plant protection and disease management. Conventional methods for detecting plant pathogenic bacteria including serological and molecular techniques are, undoubtly reliable; however, these techniques can be time-consuming to analyse results. To cure the bacteria borne disease in plants, there is a need for ‘on site’ detection in field to enable treatment protocol precisely. To meet this aspect, generally point-of-care detection protocols are more reliable. Among several POC based assays, lateral flow assay (LFA) has emerged as a promising rapid diagnostic tool for detection of plant pathogenic bacteria. This technique has been found to be useful to detect various plant pathogenic bacteria such as, Dickeya solani, Erwinia amylovora, Ralstonia solanacearum, Xanthomonas arboricola, and Acidovorax avenae subsp. citrulli. There are also instances where LFA has been used along with molecular techniques like PCR or recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) to enhance sensitivity and specificity for plant bacteria detection. Such combined detection approaches allow identification of bacterial pathogens more precisely. As research in this area continues, LFA is expected to play an increasingly critical role in ensuring food security and safeguarding plant health.