New biological sensor in Israel to help detect hidden potato diseases

The technology will be especially useful when purchasing seed potatoes, when spoilage processes have already begun in seemingly healthy tubers. Despite success in increasing food production, half of the food harvested in the world is lost due to decay caused by microorganisms. A variety of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from crops into the environment can be used to quickly detect food spoilage. The new technology, led by scientists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Israel Agricultural Research Organization, uses a biological sensor to detect early latent diseases in potato tubers, one of Israel's top export industries at 700,000 tons per year. Israeli farmers import European seed potatoes for planting. However, a certain percentage of seed tubers carry diseases within them that reduce the quality of potatoes. The scientific alliance of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) and the Israeli Organization for Agricultural Research (Volcani Institute) is ...