A programmable sensor platform to mitigate crop loss caused by post-harvest disease in potato.

SensIT Ventures Inc. (SensIT) is commercializing a novel chemical sensorplatform that combines low-cost and high-performance features required for precisionagriculture and post-harvest applications. The miniature chemical sensor platform is afundamentally new type of ion mobility spectrometer that runs on low power DC voltagesuch as a common 9V battery. In this Phase I proof-of-concept proposal we will custombuild and calibrate gas phase sensors to provide an early warning of potato rot in thepost-harvest supply chain as a first commercial example of the device utility and value. Inprior published work unique volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have been identified tobe emitted from tubers infected with three major potato pathogens: Phytophthorainfestans (late blight) Fusarium coeruleum (dry rot) and Pectobacterium carotovorum(soft rot). To demonstrate technical feasibility we will measure the detection thresholdslevels necessary to identify each VOC from within this panel of candidate biomarkers.Based on the results of the Phase I study SensIT will design a prototype deviceto detect disease under field conditions using a test series of selected VOCs. In Phase IIwe will build and deploy the devices in collaboration with commercial partners andaccording to their specifications to optimize the delivery of perishable product withprecision management. Post-harvest diseases cause major economic losses in the potatosupply chain. There is strong commercial interest in monitoring for disease especiallyduring tuber storage as evidenced by premium contracts that growers are paid for laterdelivery dates in the processed market.