Scientists develop game-changing tech to combat major threat to food crops: 'Farmers can use it whenever they need it'

Mohit Verma's laboratory at Purdue University has developed a faster and more affordable paper-based biosensor for identifying genetically modified corn and soybeans, providing farmers with more accessible molecular diagnostic tools. 

This new GM crop biosensor, which has a patent pending, uses a method called loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) to achieve more cost-effective and efficient testing than more expensive tools already on the market, according to a Purdue report shared by Phys.org. 

The research team used their previous work in rapidly detecting highly pathogenic avian influenza, fecal contamination on produce farms, bovine respiratory disease, and COVID-19 to help develop this new testing method. 

Verma worked with the Purdue Innovates Office of Technology Commercialization to apply for the patent, which will protect the intellectual property, and has already licensed the tech to Krishi, Inc., a molecular diagnostics specialist, the report explained.  

"This study was the first demonstration from our lab on the use of the biosensors on plant material," Verma said. "It further demonstrates the use of this LAMP-based technology for One Health applications that cut across ecosystems — human, animal, and plant well-being."

While some farmers may use testing to maintain organic crops without any genetic modification, most others use these tests to verify the exact makeup of plants growing in their fields to ensure they meet the desired standards. 

When bioengineered crops are grown in proximity to other plants, there's always the risk for them to exchange traits via pollination, making testing an important step for evaluating a farm's production output.

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) can be tailored to resist diseases, tolerate specific pesticides to improve weed control, provide enhanced nutrition, and even help detoxify soil to remediate sites that have been polluted.

The lab's biosensor device can deliver results in less than an hour after sample extraction and costs just $2.90 each, the report explained. 

Bilal Ahmed, a postdoctoral research associate in agricultural and biological engineering at Purdue and co-author of the related study, noted that other LAMP techniques often cost more than $8. They also require purified DNA samples, which demand laboratory access and expensive technology.

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The paper-based biosensor examines the makeup of plants using only a quarter-inch pinch of a leaf, which has been liquefied and diluted with water, making it more accessible to everyday crop growers.

"Farmers can use it whenever they need it," Ahmed said.  

The researchers based their work on specifically detecting Roundup-Ready 1 and 2 varieties of soybean, as well as Roundup Hybridization System 1 (RHS1) traits in corn. 

Farmers traditionally need to sterilize corn by removing male tassels of the plant to prevent self-pollination, but RHS1 includes a trait that works for them. Genetic modification can help support more robust, climate-resilient crops to protect plant-based food supplies, especially in the face of rising temperatures and drought. 

Regular field inspections help maintain crop integrity, enabling farmers to work more efficiently. Making these tools more accessible to farmers supports their efforts without raising consumer costs. 

Bayer's crop science division, which has funded this research, shared in the study that this new technology "is adaptable to other GM crops or traits, offering a practical solution for field-level GMO monitoring."

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