The technology being worked on will allow farmers to detect the infection of the Botrytis cinerea fungus before it occurs. manifest and, in this way, reduce the investment in preventive phytosanitary treatments. The project, called Botvid-Sensor, has received support from the Valencian Innovation Agency for the period 2022-2024. (I²SysBio), a joint center of the University of Valencia and the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), develops a portable sensor that will help detect the gray rot disease of the vine, caused by the fungus Botrytis cinerea. The work, coordinated by researcher Gustavo Gómez, tries to simplify the early detection of these infections before symptoms appear, and thus reduce both the economic costs, due to the reduction in production, and the repeated application of preventive phytosanitary treatments.

The project is called 'Botvid-Sensor: Development of a portable sensor for the early detection of Botrytis cinerea in the vineyard', and proposes the development and optimization of paper-based fluidic technology in order to detect the presence of the fungus using specific ribonucleic acid (RNA) probes, as markers of the disease. For this, extracts obtained from vine leaves or clusters will be used. The production of the prototype also entails the development of the rest of the components of the diagnostic kit. investment in preventive treatments,” explains Gustavo Gómez. "In addition, it will increase the effectiveness of treatments with biocontrol agents and biostimulants, which will translate into an increase in their competitiveness, both in price and results, compared to synthetic products. The implementation of this new system will favor the implementation of ecological productions," adds the scientist.

Botvid-Sensor is developed thanks to a consortium coordinated by I²SysBio, with the participation of the agrobiotechnology company Valgenetics S.L. –in the Science Park of the University of Valencia–, the Mediterranean Agroforestry Institute (IAM) of the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV) and the association La Unió de Llauradors i Ramaders.

The project has been selected to receive nearly 270,000 euros of financing in the call for aid from the Strategic Cooperation Projects Program, corresponding to the period 2022-2024.