New Research Project on Combatting Transboundary Crop Diseases

The new CRP will support countries in developing and validating technologies that improve surveillance, diagnostics and sustainable disease management. Nuclear and related biotechnologies offer tools to complement existing plant health strategies.

For example, nuclear techniques such as gamma, X-ray or electron beam irradiation can be used to induce beneficial changes in microorganisms that suppress plant pathogens, providing sustainable alternatives to chemical pesticides and supporting the production of clean planting material.

Advanced imaging and sensor-based technologies, including hyperspectral and near-infrared sensing enable high-throughput phenotyping of crops. Combined with molecular diagnostics and field-deployable detection tools, these technologies enable researchers to detect disease earlier and improve plant health surveillance systems.