A cutting-edge molecular tracking technology for microbial-based products used in agriculture: There is a pressing need for farmer-friendly technologies allowing to detect and monitor microorganisms applied to soil as biostimulants or biopesticides. These technologies would optimise their application method (in terms of dose and timing) fostering efficacy. Researchers are increasingly committed to developing sensors to detect species-specific target microorganisms in soil. In SPIN-FERT, researchers from three Italian partners (CREA, CNR-NANO and INTA) are working together to scale up and validate a portable device for tracking and monitoring a beneficial bacterium (B. subtilis) in the soil.  The device is based on a chip containing a biological sensor (an aptamer), which was developed and patented by @crearicerca researchers in a previous EU-funded project (@excaliburh2020). This kind of device is expected to provide a breakthrough in the method of monitoring microbial-based products and evaluate also their impact on soil health and plant productivity.  A paper we recently published (the second one, regarding the device, will be submitted soon): https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-023-12765-0

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