InteliSpark client, Fyr Diagnostics, LLC, is awarded a phase I SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) grant from the National Science Foundation to develop a novel technology for the early detection of a serious plant disease called Huanglongbing found in citrus trees.
In the United States, the citrus industry is a significant contributor to our nation’s economy with around $15 billion in revenue and over $70,000 jobs generated in the 2016 -2017 season. Though not harmful to humans, Huanglongbing (HLB), also known as the citrus greening disease, is the most devastating disease to the citrus industry in the US and around the world. A tiny insect infects citrus trees with a bacteria that causes this cureless disease . In Florida, the state most impacted by HLB, the economic toll was $1 billion lost revenue per year and nearly 5,000 jobs lost annually from 2013 – 2018.
The key for managing the spread of the disease is early detection, but current diagnostic tools are either unreliable or infeasible due to high costs. Fyr Diagnostics, a small company based in Montana, specializes in developing diagnostic tools for both human and agricultural diseases. In this federally-funded project, researchers will develop quick, cost-effective, and sensitive early detection tools for HLB disease in citrus trees. These new diagnostic tools may prevent further spread of the disease and boost an industry that has faced huge economic losses in recent years.
Dr. Sarjubhai Patel, President and Co-Founder of Fyr Diagnostics, will lead this research project. Dr. Patel is also an Associate Research Professor at the University of Montana, COBRE Center for Structural and Functional Neuroscience.