CONTROL OF RESISTENT HARMFUL ORGANISMS

Abstract

A method and a system for the detection and acquisition of resistances of harmful organisms to pest control agents. The system is configured to establish a resistance map, in which information regarding the resistance of one or more harmful organisms to one or more control agents is recorded for a field or a plurality of fields for the cultivation of cultivated plants.

Claims

1. A method comprising: collecting a sample at a location, said sample comprising at least part of a harmful organism; ascertaining geocoordinates of the location; processing the sample; sequencing DNA and/or RNA of the harmful organism and ascertaining one or more DNA and/or RNA sequences; analyzing the one or more DNA and/or RNA sequences for markers which give an indication of resistance of the harmful organism to a control agent; and entering information about the resistance of the harmful organism to the control agent into a resistance map; wherein at least the collecting, processing, and sequencing are carried out at the same location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising implementing a measure for controlling a harmful organism and/or a resistance on the basis of the resistance map.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of samples are collected at different locations and analyzed, and results of the analysis are entered in the resistance map.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein timing of each sampling is recorded in the resistance map.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein further environmental data are entered in the resistance map, said data being selected from the following list: insolation, temperature, air humidity, wind direction, wind force.

6. A system comprising: a sampling unit configured to collect a sample at a location, said sample comprising at least a harmful organism or part of a harmful organism, a sensor configured to ascertain geocoordinates of the location, a sample processing unit configured to process the sample, a sequencing unit configured to sequence DNA and/or RNA of the harmful organism and for ascertaining one or more DNA and/or RNA sequences, and a processor configured to: analyze one or more DNA and/or RNA sequences for markers which give an indication of resistance of the harmful organism to a control agent, and enter information about the resistance of the harmful organism to the control agent into a resistance map, wherein at least the collecting, processing, and sequencing are deployable at the same location.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the sample processing unit is configured to process the sample by preparing the sample for subsequent sequencing of extant DNA and/or RNA, and wherein the sampling unit, the sample processing unit, and the sequencing unit are constituents of one and the same device.

8. The system of claim 6, comprising: a sample analysis device comprising the sampling unit, the sample processing unit, and the sequencing unit; a data analysis device comprising a sequence analysis unit and a resistance map creation unit, and a database configured to store DNA and/or RNA sequences of known resistance markers and/or DNA and/or RNA sequences of known nonresistant harmful organisms; wherein the sample analysis device, the data analysis device, and the database are configured such that they exchange data with one another.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the system is configured for creating a resistance map in which information on the resistance of one or more harmful organisms to one or more control agents is listed for a field or a plurality of fields for the growing of crop plants.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the system is configured for creating a resistance map in which information on the resistance of one or more weeds to one or more herbicides is listed for a field or a plurality of fields for the growing of crop plants.

11. The system of claim 6, wherein the system is configured for creating a resistance map in which information on the resistance of one or more fungi to one or more fungicides is listed for a field or a plurality of fields for the growing of crop plants.

12. The system of claim 6, wherein the system is configured for creating a resistance map in which information on the resistance of one or more harmful animal organisms to one or more than one insecticide, acaricide and/or nematicide is listed for a field or a plurality of fields for the growing of crop plants.

13. The system of claim 6, wherein the system is configured for creating a resistance map in which information on the resistance of one or more vectors to one or more agents for controlling the vectors is used for a region or a plurality of regions.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0077] FIG. 1 shows schematically an embodiment of the system. The system comprises three devices (10, 20, 30); in some embodiments, it is conceivable for a system to comprise more or fewer devices. The three devices (10, 20, 30) can exchange data with one another via a network (represented by the dashed lines).

[0078] A first device is a sample analysis device (10), a second device is a data analysis device (20), and a third device is a database (30).

[0079] The sample analysis device (10) is deployed where harmful organisms occur and are studied in respect of resistances to control agents. The sample analysis device (10) comprises a positional determination unit (14) for ascertaining the geocoordinates of the location at which the sample analysis unit (10) is located at the time of a sampling. The sample analysis device (10) further comprises a sampling unit (11) for taking a sample of a harmful organism or of part of a harmful organism. The design of the sample analysis unit (11) may be such that it actively takes samples; it may alternatively have a design such that one or more samples are supplied to it manually or mechanically.

[0080] From the sampling unit (11), a sample taken is passed to a sample processing unit (12). In the sample processing unit (12), the sample is prepared for subsequent sequencing of extant DNA and/or RNA.

[0081] When the sample has been prepared, it is passed to a sequencing unit (13). This is where the sequencing of DNA and/or RNA takes place. The result of the sequencing comprises one or more DNA and/or RNA sequences.

[0082] The sample analysis device (10) has a control unit (15). The control unit (15) serves to control the individual components of the sample analysis device (10) and to coordinate the data and signal flows. The DNA and/or RNA sequences ascertained in the sequencing, and the geocoordinates of the location at which the sample was taken, are passed on by the control unit (15) to a transmitting and receiving unit (16). From there, they are transmitted via a network (e.g., mobile radio network and/or Internet) to the data analysis device (20).

[0083] The data analysis device (20) comprises a transmitting and receiving unit (26), which receives the geocoordinates and the DNA and/or RNA sequences.

[0084] The data analysis device (20) further comprises a control unit (25) for controlling the individual components of the data analysis device (20) and coordinating the data and signal flows. The transmitting and receiving unit (26) passes on the data received to the control unit (25). The control unit passes on the data to a sequence analysis unit (21).

[0085] The sequence analysis unit (21) analyzes the DNA and/or RNA sequences. The intention with the analysis is to ascertain DNA and/or RNA sequences which are known to indicate a reference of the harmful organism to one or more control agents. Also conceivable, however, is that the sequence analysis unit (21) identifies unknown DNA and/or RNA sequences which give an indication of a new resistance and/or a new resistance marker.

[0086] In order to identify known and/or new resistance markers, the data analysis device (20) is connected via the transmitting and receiving unit (26) to a database (30) which stores DNA and/or RNA sequences of known resistance markers and/or DNA and/or RNA sequences of known nonresistant harmful organisms. It is conceivable for there to be a plurality of databases which the data analysis device (20) can access.

[0087] The data analysis device (20) further comprises a resistance map creation unit (22).

[0088] It is configured in such a way that it links the result of the sequence analysis for resistance markers with the geocoordinates and files the result for the sampling location in a digital representation of a region. In this case the information that a sample in which a resistance marker has been identified has been taken at a location can be stored for the respective location. It is also possible for the negative information - that a sample in which no resistance marker has been identified has been taken at a location - to be stored for the respective location. The respective information concerning an observed or non-observed resistance may be coded, for example, using a color (e.g., red for a defined resistance, green for no resistance).

[0089] The data analysis device (20) further comprises a user interface (27). The user interface (27) serves for communication between the data analysis device (20) and a user. Via the user interface (27), a user is able to control the data analysis device (20), enter data, read and/or display information, and so on. A user interface (27) of this kind typically has input means (keyboard, mouse, touchscreen, microphone and/or the like) and output means (display, speaker, printer and/or the like).

[0090] A resistance map created and/or supplemented by the resistance map creation unit (22) may be transmitted to the database (30) for storage via the control and receiving unit (26). It is conceivable that a multiplicity of users are able to access the database (30) and thus procure information concerning new and/or spreading resistances. It is also conceivable that a resistance map created and/or supplemented by the resistance map creation unit (22) is transmitted to the sample analysis device (10) via the control and receiving unit (26). The sample analysis device (10) receives a resistance map via the control and receiving unit (16). The sample analysis device (10) likewise possesses a user interface (17) for communication with a user. The resistance map may be displayed to a user via the user interface (17). It is also conceivable for the user, in the case of a resistance, to obtain further informationtransmitted and displayedas to which measures they can take in order to prevent the further spread of the resistance.

[0091] FIG. 2 shows, schematically, another embodiment of the system. Identical reference symbols in FIGS. 1 and 2 have the same meaning. The system shown in FIG. 2 comprises four devices (10, 20, 30, 100). The four devices (10, 20, 30, 100) are able to exchange data with one another via a network (represented by the dashed lines).

[0092] A first device is a sample analysis device (10), a second device is a data analysis device (20), a third device is a database (30), and a fourth device is a mobile computer system (100) such as a smartphone or a tablet computer, for example.

[0093] In some embodiments, the system may be operated by a user (50); i.e., the system may be designed in such a way that the actions of a single user (50) can lead to the performance of the method, from the sampling through to the display of a created digital resistance map. In some embodiments, the method is initiated by the user collecting a sample which comprises a harmful organism (60) or part of a harmful organism (60). In the present example, the harmful organism (60) is shown as a plant; here it is conceivable for the harmful organism to be a plant (e.g., a weed). It is, however, also conceivable for the plant to be infested with bacteria, viruses, fungi, or harmful animal organisms, and for a sample of the infested plant that comprises the harmful organism to be taken.

[0094] The user (50) passes the harmful organism (60) to a sampling unit (11) of the sample analysis device (10). The sample analysis device (10) possesses means (12) for processing the sample, and means (13) for sequencing DNA and/or RNA of the harmful organism and for ascertaining one or more DNA and/or RNA sequences.

[0095] The DNA and/or RNA sequences ascertained are transmitted via a short-range radio connection (e.g., Bluetooth) to the mobile computer system (100). The mobile computer system (100) possesses a GPS sensor (14) that is able to receive signals from multiple satellites (70) and, from these signals, to ascertain the geocoordinates of the location at which the mobile computer system (100) is situated. The mobile computer system (100) transmits the DNA and/or RNA sequences together with the geocoordinates to the data analysis device (20) by means of a transmitting and receiving unit (16) and by way of a cloud server (40). The data analysis device (20) possesses means (21) for analyzing the DNA and/or RNA sequences for markers which give an indication of resistance of the harmful organism to a control agent, and possesses means (22) for entering information concerning the resistance of the harmful organism to the control agent into a digital resistance map.

[0096] The data analysis device (20) is connected by the cloud server (40) to one or more databases (30) which store DNA and/or RNA sequences of known resistance markers and/or DNA and/or RNA sequences of known nonresistant harmful organisms. The stored data can be employed in order to analyze the DNA and/or RNA sequences.

[0097] The data analysis device (20) further comprises a resistance map creation unit (22), which is configured in such a way that it links the result of the sequence analysis for resistance markers with the geocoordinates and files the result for the sampling location in a digital representation of a region.

[0098] A resistance map created and/or supplemented by the resistance map creation unit (22) may be transmitted to a database (30) for storage via the control and receiving unit (26). It is conceivable that a multiplicity of users are able to access the database (30) via the cloud server (40) and thus procure information concerning new and/or spreading resistances. It is also conceivable that a resistance map created and/or supplemented by the resistance map creation unit (22) is transmitted to the mobile computer system (100) via the control and receiving unit (26). The mobile computer system (100) receives the resistance map via the control and receiving unit (16). The mobile computer system (100) possesses a user interface (17) for communication with the user (50). The resistance map may be displayed to the user (50) via the user interface (17). It is also conceivable for the user (50), in the case of a resistance, to obtain further informationtransmitted and displayedas to which measures they can take in order to prevent the further spread of the resistance.

[0099] Example 1: A farmer reports pathogen infestation despite treatment with corresponding crop protection agents. Samples of the pathogen are taken in situ by the farmer or salesperson, with or without associated plant material. In situ or at a location in the vicinity of the field, the samples are processed and the DNA and/or RNA in the sample are/is sequenced. The sequence information is transmitted to a server/cloud, analyzed in the cloud, and examined for reference markers for metabolic and target site resistances. At the same time, coordinates and existing resistances are recorded in a geodatabase for studies on resistance spread. Based on the possible resistance mechanism or mechanisms found at this location and on the surroundings, recommendations for a crop protection product are communicated to the farmer.

[0100] Example 2: At regular physical and temporal intervals, samples of pathogens are taken in a region and as in example 1, albeit without suspected resistance, are treated in situ and analyzed in the cloud. The data are fed into a geodatabase and analyzed in order to detect latent resistances, in order to predict the spread of resistance mechanisms.