Semi-Quantitative Lateral Flow Immunoassay for Soil Pathogen Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for diagnosing Erwinia carotovora and Phytophthora infestans in soil are inaccurate and difficult to implement before plant infection, due to similar symptom onset times and disease progression rates, leading to environmental pollution and increased management costs in farms.

Innovation Solution

A semi-quantitative lateral flow immunoassay method using rat monoclonal antibodies specifically binding to Erwinia carotovora and Phytophthora infestans, allowing for simultaneous detection and quantification of pathogens in soil, enabling early-stage disease prevention and monitoring.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If traditional diagnosis methods are used for Erwinia carotovora and Phytophthora infestans, then disease treatment can be applied, but accurate diagnosis before plant infection is difficult due to similar symptom onset times and disease progression rates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvediagnosis accuracyVSAvoidtime for accurate diagnosis

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by detecting pathogens in soil before plant infection occurs. The lateral flow immunoassay kit enables early detection of Erwinia carotovora and Phytophthora infestans in soil samples, allowing farmers to take preventive measures before the pathogens cause visible damage to plants, thus resolving the timing issue between detection and infection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses an intermediary approach by introducing a lateral flow immunoassay kit as a mediating tool between soil samples and diagnosis. This kit contains specific antibodies that bind to pathogen antigens, enabling accurate and rapid detection without requiring complex laboratory equipment or extensive training, thus improving both accuracy and speed of diagnosis.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If farmers rely on experience-based diagnosis, then treatment can be applied, but multiple types of bacterial and fungal diseases are mixed and sprayed at high concentrations, causing environmental pollution and increased management costs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisease control effectivenessVSAvoidenvironmental pollution

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical/experiential diagnosis system with a scientific immunological system. Instead of relying on farmers' experience to identify diseases, the lateral flow immunoassay uses specific antibody-antigen interactions to detect pathogens, enabling precise identification of Erwinia carotovora and Phytophthora infestans. This substitution allows targeted treatment rather than broad-spectrum spraying, reducing environmental pollution and management costs while maintaining or improving disease control effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If chemical pesticides are applied at high concentrations to control pathogens, then disease progression can be halted, but environmental pollution increases and management costs rise

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisease prevention capabilityVSAvoidenvironmental pollution

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback by providing quantitative detection results from the lateral flow immunoassay that guide pesticide application decisions. The kit provides semi-quantitative measurement of pathogen density in soil, allowing farmers to adjust pesticide application rates based on actual pathogen levels rather than using fixed high concentrations. This feedback mechanism maintains reliable disease prevention while reducing unnecessary chemical input and environmental pollution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The method allows for rapid, cost-effective, and accurate detection of pathogens within 10 minutes, enabling early-stage disease prevention and minimizing crop damage by determining infection and type of disease-causing pathogens, thus reducing the need for high concentrations of chemical pesticides.

Implementation Method 1

using rat monoclonal antibodies that specifically bind to Erwinia carotovora (Erwinia) causing a bacterial soft rot disease and Phytophthora infestans (Phytophthora) causing a fungal blight disease

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAntibody binding:

Implementation Method 2

semi-quantitative lateral flow immunoassay

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectImmunodiagnostic technique:

Data Source

PatentUS20240295556A1Method for simultaneously diagnosing erwinia carotovora and phytophthora infestans in soil by using semi-quantitative lateral flow immunodiagnostic technique

Publication Date: 2024.09.05 VETALL

AI summary

The present invention provides a simultaneous diagnosis method and a simultaneous diagnosis kit for Erwinia carotovora and Phytophthora infestans in the soil using semi-quantitative lateral flow immunoassay, for early identification and prevention of causative organisms that may cause a plant soft rot disease and a plant blight disease in the soil around a plant growth environment using semi-quantitative lateral flow immunoassay.