EVIO Launches Pathogen Surveillance Program for Cannabis Cultivators
EVIO Biosciences has just announced the launch of the first-ever Genomics Testing program for Pathogen Identification in Cannabis. The EVIO Biosciences division launched in May led by EVIO’s Chief Science Officer, Dr. Anthony Smith.
EVIO is proud to offer next generation DNA sequencing services for pathogen surveillance in cannabis grow operations. Next generation sequencing services (NGSS) genetically identifies nearly all the microbial constituents in a particular sample of plant tissue, soil or water. This service can help producers identify plant pathogens contributing to loss of yield or quality in your grow facility. NGSS can also be used to identify workplace human pathogens to keep your workers safe. Perhaps more important than pathogen ID, NGSS is a powerful tool for establishing an understanding of beneficial microbial biome constituents of your soil and cannabis plants. Knowing the constituents of the microbial communities in your grow operations can be the key to unlocking the effectiveness of your soil and nutrient strategies.
Our NGSS application performs iterative sequence analysis of DNA that we isolate and prepare from environmental and plant tissue samples in your operation. The samples we collect contain hundreds or thousands of diverse microorganisms. NGSS is based on sequence-based identification of 16S ribosomal RNA genes. These genes encode an RNA molecule that is similarly conserved in nearly all living cells. In an NGSS run, sections of this gene and neighboring genetic regions are targeted to identify most present DNA sequences to the genus or species level. This information helps determine the presence and relative abundance of all microbial community constituents in the sample.
Through cooperative sampling of roots, leaves, and stem tissues, we can help to identify which beneficial and plant pathogens are present, identify the source of pathogens, and how to manage their populations. We help to sample your healthy or diseased plant tissues, take these backs to the lab, extract and sequence the DNA in your samples. We interpret and report the genomic information and put together a plan to help you move forward and into the future.
Dr. Anthony Smith said, "We have achieved the goal of leveraging NGSS technology to directly improve quality and yield in Cannabis cultivation ops. It’s a part of our mission, to bring progressive technology applications into the cannabis sector, and this technology has direct applicability to other markets such as food safety, agriculture, and water testing."
Dr. Anthony Smith received his Ph.D. from Oregon State University in Molecular & Cellular Biology with an emphasis on biochemistry, metabolism, and nutrition. He brings over 15 years of natural product research, quality assurance, product development, GMP manufacturing, FDA & regulatory experience and analytical expertise to EVIO.
