Yield robbing diseases which leave their genetic fingerprints
on Western Australia crops are being detected with molecular
diagnostic technologies by a new Western Australian company.
Saturn Biotech is based at the Western Australia
State
Agricultural Biotechnology Centre (SABC), Murdoch
University, where it uses novel equipment and biotechnology to
develop and refine diagnostic tests for crop diseases.
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Anthracnose, which wiped out
Western Australia’s 80,000 hectare albus lupin industry and
can decimate yields of other species given suitable
conditions, and cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), which can slice
up to 20 per cent from angustifolius lupin yields, are two
diseases being tackled by Saturn Biotech. "The tests are
so sensitive that we can detect one CMV infected seed from a
sample of 1,000 and one anthracnose infected seed from a
sample of 10,000. This accuracy for anthracnose allows us to
screen SA lupin seed for export to Victorian farmers
desperate to feed drought-stricken livestock," Saturn
Biotech Executive Director, Mark Pitts explained. |
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Research Scientist with the
Centre for High Throughput Agricultural Genetic Analysis,
Marie Scobie, conducts crop variety identification as SABC
Director, Professor Mike Jones looks on. |
"Real time fluorescence polymerase chain reaction tests are
also used to detect animal viruses such as McArdle’s disease in
sheep. This technology is also being applied to fisheries, where
it can help protect Western Australia’s $60 million shrimp
industry by detecting and rejecting imported prawn meal
containing white spot syndrome and yellow head viruses."
Saturn Biotech is also using SABC facilities to develop
protein based tests to identify different varieties of wheat,
barley, lupin and potato using an entirely new approach of mass
spectroscopy backed up by DNA fingerprinting. These genetic
barcodes are being used to maintain supply chain segregation of
different varieties to guarantee required qualities for specific
markets.
SABC Director, Mike Jones, said that such ‘gate–keeping’
technology could also underpin segregation systems to ensure
separation of genetically modified and conventional grains in
future grain handling systems.
The Centre for High Throughput Agricultural Genetic Analysis
works with Saturn Biotech to develop many of these technologies
at the SABC, which provides the facilities and support to
undertake public and private research.
"About 60 research projects are underway at the SABC at any
one time. Many are public projects, but several are private and
run by young companies like Saturn Biotech," Professor Jones
explained.
"Effectively, the SABC is a research hotel for innovators,
with the facilities to support molecular research and the 200
researchers who use the Centre.
