Agriculture

Understand soil communities and enable early identification of invasive pests to enhance agricultural management.

We partner with agricultural clients to elevate biosecurity surveillance through innovative eDNA solutions. Our programs develop custom eDNA tests for invasive species, delivering rapid identification of invasive pests to help minimise the impact on crops. Additionally, eDNA soil health monitoring can help improve understanding of ecosystem health, so growers can gain insights that inform land management practices.

Develop custom eDNA tests as a tool for early detection of pests and invasive species that damage crops.
Undertake soil health assessments that analyse microbial and invertebrate communities to improve understanding of ecosystem health.
Track changes in biodiversity overtime throughout agricultural systems.
Enhance biosecurity monitoring plans with rapid data that can support traditional monitoring techniques.
Inform strategies such as integrated pest management (IPM) and conservation in agricultural environments with comprehensive biodiversity surveys.

Identify biosecurity threats using eDNA.

eDNA can determine presence of invasive pests. This data rapidly informs land managers so swift action can be taken to manage potential incursions and spread.

Understand soil biodiversity communities.

Analyse soil eDNA to understand microbial and invertebrate communities, providing insights into soil fertility and ecosystem health.

Support conservation strategies and IPM.

Gain robust insights into the full spectrum of biodiversity in agricultural systems. This data supports conservation and land management strategies, enhancing overall ecosystem health.

Avocado Pest Detection with Hort Innovation

Collaborative project with researchers from EnviroDNA and Cesar Australia, funded by Hort Innovation to drive continuous improvement in biosecurity preparedness of the Australian avocado industry for incursions of priority and emerging threats. This involves comprehensive assessment of eDNA sampling and analytical approaches tailored to the Avocado industry. Hort Innovation has identified a priority list of insects, fungal and viroid pests on which to focus these efforts. A multi-species assay using eDNA samples will aim to detect invertebrate and fungal species from environmental sampling at supply chain screening points and at the farm gate.

Sampling approaches used for collecting DNA from the environment are critical to overall assay efficiency. Approaches will be assessed to determine the most appropriate method of detecting avocado pathogens in production regions, when optimising sensitivity, speed, or scale. As part of this project, we will trial collection of airborne eDNA shed by pests and pathogens of interest, scaling up eDNA collection from plant and fruit surfaces and direct sampling from insect traps.

eDNA Technologies and Predictive Modelling for Rapid Detection and Identification of Sugarcane Priority Pests and Diseases

Sugar Research Australia and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry are utilising eDNA for rapid detection of pests and diseases threatening Australia’s sugarcane industry. Current biosecurity relies on trapping and in-field identification by specialists, but this project enhances surveillance techniques for quicker, more accurate threat identification. Faster detection improves eradication chances, reduces the need for chemical controls and minimises environmental impacts.

The project prioritises pests for eDNA diagnostic tool development, employing unified sampling approaches based on factors like ecology and damage type. It includes optimised DNA extraction, qPCR, rapid testing and metabarcoding protocols. This collaborative effort with EnviroDNA, Cesar Australia and the Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy aims to strengthen biosecurity for Australia’s sugarcane industry.

We are your trusted biodiversity partner, helping you take better action for nature.

Founded and operated in Australia. Local expertise and leadership in eDNA technologies in Australia and globally.
Expert nature advisory. Effective and powerful environmental monitoring is what we do best. We help you navigate complex data.
Diverse environmental and nature expertise. Your project is in expert hands at every stage; ecology, genetics, data science and nature accounting.
Comprehensive eDNA reference libraries. Our data and reference library are built from a decade of projects.
World leading R&D. Founded on scientific rigour, we expand the power of eDNA in partnership with research organisations, industry and community groups.