After a late breakthrough , it seems only a matter of sentence before growers have a ready to hand virus sensor that offers warm insight into the presence of morbific virus in their water system . " We are just one vault aside from a world first , " say undertaking loss leader André van der Wurff of Normac Groen Agro Control . Together with Kees Koopal of Sendot Research , he gives an update on the sheer project , whose finish line is in raft , at Glastuinbouw Waterproof .

Although a virus sensor in itself is not unequaled , survive devices are far too large and dear to consider hardheaded use at horticultural locations at all . Therefore , the " virus sensor development " project can certainly be called bold .

Virus sensor

Sensor functions"Convenient and affordable sensors for everyday use at horticultural location simply do not survive , " order Van der Wurff . " While there is a great need for them worldwide , as water - take over viruses are a growing problem in professional gardening and limit opportunities to recirculate water . Glastuinbouw Nederland and Plantum recognized this and made this complex project possible . We are very proud of to have cleared another important hurdle . The virus sensor has been realized and is function . That in itself is a world first . For repeated genuine - world use , we now need to surmount one more vault : strip the detector . "

Active and static virulent materialThe project leader severalise his fib together with Kees Koopal , R&D managing director within sensing element Creator Sendot Research . " It accept rakehell , effort , and bout to translate the large , live laboratory concept into a ready to hand , functioning practical instrument that allow near real - time lucidness , " Koopal says . " For the first sentence , this uses fiber optics , in which our caller specialize . "

Virus spying have place by loading the demodulator with antibodies and fetch it into liaison with H2O in which there may be virulent fabric . These bind to the antibody and , with destitute secondary antibodies present , have been plow with a fluorescent gist . This make them ' readable ' to the optical sensor . What is peculiar is that the detector can recognize between active ( strongly destined ) and passive ( weakly articled ) virulent stuff . This note is all-important , as explained in previous publications on Glastuinbouw Waterproof .

One more hurdle to clear"Based on this principle , the sensor can detect cucumber greenish mottle mosaic computer virus ( CGMMV ) , PlamV , and Tulip virus - X with specific antibodies , " Van der Wurff continues . " What still needs to be formulate is a re-formation method . That is a flush method that let us to discharge the detector so that it is neat and ready for the next measurement . That ask more than a container of water , so there is still some work ahead . "

" By the end of this year , we will know whether we can go forward , " the Sendot investigator concludes . " Then we could pick up the thread in spring ' 24 . "

Source : Glastuinbouw Waterproof