With yellow rust continuing to challenge UK wheat growers, Elsoms is supporting research at the Earlham Institute that could help provide earlier warning of disease risk and enable more targeted crop protection decisions in the future.
How AirSeq technology could transform disease monitoring
As part of a PhD project at the Earlham Institute, researcher Jade van Wijk is investigating how airborne DNA sequencing technology, known as AirSeq, could be used to monitor cereal rust pathogens directly from the air before visible symptoms appear in crops.
The project uses air samplers placed in wheat fields, including trial sites at Elsoms, to capture fungal spores. These samples are then rapidly analysed using advanced DNA sequencing technology to identify pathogen species present in the air and track how their abundance changes throughout the growing season.
Understanding yellow rust risk before crop infection
Researchers are comparing airborne spore data with field disease assessments, weather conditions and seasonal trends to better understand how yellow rust develops and spreads. The long-term ambition is to create an early-warning system that helps growers optimise fungicide timing, improve disease control and reduce unnecessary applications.
Importantly, the technology has already demonstrated the ability to detect changes in the abundance of fungal pathogens in the air. Future research will focus on determining whether specific rust strains or pathotypes can be identified before infection occurs, although this capability has not yet been proven.
Collaboration between industry and agricultural research
The project brings together expertise from leading research organisations and commercial partners, helping bridge the gap between scientific innovation and practical on-farm application. By supporting field-based research trials, Elsoms is contributing to the development of tools that could improve disease management strategies for growers in the future.
Supporting sustainable wheat production
As disease pressures evolve and resistance challenges increase, investment in technologies that improve disease forecasting and treatment decisions will become increasingly important. Through collaborations such as this, Elsoms continues to support science-led innovation aimed at helping growers produce healthier, more resilient wheat crops while promoting sustainable crop protection practices.
