Science Heritage Journal | Galeri Warisan Sains (GWS)

Different kinds of diseases are seen in plants throughout their lifecycle. Pathogens like fungi, bacteria, viruses, and nematodes are found to cause these diseases, resulting in huge yield loss to farmers. Different diagnostic methods such as ELISA, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and microscopy provide effective results but are costly, time consuming and require an established laboratory. Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA) can be used as an alternative tool for these diagnostic tools. RPA is an isothermal nucleic acid amplification technique that generally works at a temperature range of 25-43°C, which is also feasible to operate in field conditions. This tool provides amplification results within 15-30 minutes, which makes it a better alternative to time consuming tools. Furthermore, it is comparatively cheaper than other commercial diagnostic tools. Amplicons can be detected using different detection platforms such as colorimetric dyes, smartphone assisted fluorescence imaging, and lateral flow dipsticks. RPA can also be integrated with other molecular tools like the CRISPR-Cas system and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) to provide improved specificity and accuracy. RPA stands as a mobile, cost effective and accurate diagnostic tool that can play a major role in the early diagnosis of diseases resulting reduction in economic losses and an enhancement of biosecurity.