South Africa Wine Research Projects

2. VITICULTURE RESEARCH NEW PROJECT

DEVELOPMENT OF A FIELD-DEPLOYABLE DETECTION SYSTEM FOR GLRaV-3

GENUS MC 24-01 Dr Manuela Campa, Department of Genetics, Stellenbosch University Start date: 2024

AIM AND INDUSTRY RELEVANCE: Grapevine Leafroll-associated Virus-3 (GLRaV-3) is the primary cause of Grapevine Leafroll disease (GLD). Control of this disease primarily depends on preventing its spread via virus-free propagation material. Rapid virus detection plays a key role in this control; however, large-scale diagnostics are expensive, time-consuming and laborious. This study aims to establish a hand-held, field-deployable device for detecting GLRaV-3 under field conditions via a crude RNA extraction protocol that is to be fed into a CRISPR/Cas12-based detection reaction. The proposed field-deployable detection device for GLRaV-3 will significantly reduce the challenges associated with large-scale diagnostics, leading to more efficient disease control and improved grapevine health. Although the prototype device will be developed for GLRaV-3, it will be possible to convert the system quickly and at minimal cost to detect any other pathogen of interest. This highly innovative project will allow non-scientists to reliably and affordably detect leafroll viruses in the field – a first for grapevine viruses.

SOUTH AFRICA WINE RESEARCH 2024

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