BREAD PHENO: Development and Field Testing of Paper-based Biosensors to Increase Productivity of Smallholder Agriculture in Developing Countries

山药（番薯属物种）是非洲、印度、东南亚、南美洲和加勒比地区的初级农产品和主要主食作物之一。然而，由于炭疽病、虫害和土壤肥力下降等因素，这种作物面临着严重的生产问题。该项目旨在通过开发和实地测试低成本的基因分型/表型生物传感器来彻底改变发展中国家的山药生产，这种生物传感器包含一个综合的纸基生物电池。 这些概念验证设备将提供自我可持续的、经过现场测试的传感系统，可用于检测发展中国家小农是否存在致病病原体。该项目将为学生和博士后研究人员提供国际跨学科研究培训。所有项目成果都将提供给科学界使用。DNA序列将通过基因库提供。 有关生物传感器的信息将通过多种机制提供，其中包括同行评审的出版物以及由小农使用标准协议和讲义进行的有组织的实地测试。该项目将解决与发展中国家山药产量下降有关的一些基础研究和制约因素问题。该项目旨在开发和表征下一代低成本生物传感器，可用于评估导致两种山药-刺叶薯蓣阿拉塔和刺叶薯蓣炭疽病的真菌分离株的毒力和种间和/或种内遗传多样性差异。具体目标是（i）对健康和真菌感染的山药品种进行分子和生物化学表征，以鉴定与多达150-180个田间收集的真菌分离物相关的DNA标记; ii）使用标记作为设计多重SNP纸基生物测定的基础，以检测真菌病原体的存在; iii）将由新型微生物生物电池供电的生物传感器连接到智能手机的背面;传感器信号可以通过视觉或通过为智能手机开发的定制应用程序（app）读取;以及iv）发展标准化的程序，利用新的生物感应工具筛选山药对炭疽病的抗性，作为在实地应用该技术的第一步。 预计拟议的装置可以作为将低成本工具转化为精确农业的模式，以促进发展中国家增加粮食生产。此外，该项目还可以通过其架构和设计实现卓越的电气特性和功能，从而改变灵活和可堆叠的纸基电池的范式。

Yams (Dioscorea species) are among the primary agricultural commodities and major staple crop in Africa, India, South East Asia, South America and the Caribbean. However, the crop is laden with serious production problems arising from factors such as anthracnose disease, pests, and declines in soil fertility. This project seeks to revolutionize yam production in developing countries through the development and field-testing of low-cost genotyping/phenotyping biosensors that contain an integrated paper-based biobattery. These proof-of-concept devices will provide self-sustainable, field-tested sensing systems that can be used to detect the presence of disease causing pathogens by smallholder farmers in the developing world. The project will provide international interdisciplinary research training for students and postdoctoral researchers. All project outcomes will be available for use by the scientific community. DNA sequences will be available through GenBank. Information about biosensors will be provided through multiple mechanisms that include peer-reviewed publications as well as organized field-testing by smallholder farmers using standard protocols and handouts. This project will address some of the fundamental research and constraint issues associated with decreased yam production in developing countries. This project aims to develop and characterize the next generation of low-cost biosensors that can be used to assess differences in virulence and inter- and/or intraspecific genetic diversity in fungal isolates that cause anthracnose diseases in Dioscorea alata and Dioscorea cayanensis, two species of yams. Specific objectives are to (i) conduct molecular and biochemical characterization of healthy and fungal-infected yam varieties to identify DNA markers associated with up to 150-180 field-collected fungal isolates; ii) use markers as the basis for designing a multiplex SNP paper-based bioassay to detect the presence of fungal pathogens; iii) attach biosensor that is powered by a novel microbial-based bio-battery to the back of a smartphone; sensor signals could be read visually or via custom-based applications (apps) to be developed for smartphones; and, iv) develop standardized protocols for screening yams for anthracnose resistance using the new biosensing tools as a first step to deploying the technology in the field. It is anticipated that the proposed devices can serve as a model for transforming low-cost tools into precision agriculture to promote increased food production in developing countries in developing countries. In addition, the project can potentially shift the paradigm for flexible and stackable paper-based batteries by enabling, through their architecture and design, exceptional electrical characteristics and functionalities.