Pathogen or Plant Disease Detection and Monitoring Market - A Global and Regional Analysis

Introduction of Pathogen or Plant Disease Detection and Monitoring Market

The global pathogen or plant disease detection and monitoring industry was valued at $1.76 billion in 2022, and it is expected to grow with a CAGR of 9.68% during the forecast period 2023-2028 to reach $3.03 billion by 2028. This growth of the pathogen or plant disease detection and monitoring market is likely to be driven by the growing need for food security and quality, particularly in developing nations, where substantial losses in crop production and challenges in post-harvest management are attributed to plant diseases. Additionally, the progress in developing new and inventive methods for detecting plant pathogens, including biosensors, point-of-care devices, remote sensing, and nanotechnology, presents the potential for swift, dependable, and cost-effective solutions in in-field diagnostics.

Introduction of Pathogen or Plant Disease Detection and Monitoring

Cutting-edge technology for rapid and accurate detection and continuous monitoring of pathogens or plant diseases, revolutionizing agricultural health and crop management. The global market for plant disease and pathogen detection involves the development, production, and sale of crucial tools and services for agriculture and horticulture. These tools play a vital role in early disease identification, enabling timely intervention and management strategies to protect crops and ensure food security.

Factors such as climate change, international trade, intensified agriculture, and regulatory guidelines are driving the market's growth. The industry faces a significant threat, with plant pathogens causing up to a 40% annual loss in yield for economically important crops. Invasive pests contribute to a yearly financial burden of at least $70 billion and play a role in the global decline of biodiversity.

The report "Scientific Review of the Impact of Climate Change on Plant Pests" underscores the urgent need for effective pest management strategies. The pathogen or plant disease detection and monitoring market is poised for substantial growth due to rising global food demand, new diseases driven by global trade and climate changes, and technological advancements such as biosensors and remote sensing. Advanced detection methods, such as those used by Planet Labs PBC with satellite imagery and analytics, are crucial in safeguarding agricultural productivity and food security.

Factors Influencing Market Expansion:

•    Increasing Global Trade and Transportation 
•    Growing Concerns for Food Security and Safety 
•    Environmental Regulations and Compliance 
•    Advancements in Diagnostic Technologies

Market Segmentation:

Segmentation 1: by Application
•    Open Field
•    Controlled Environment

Based on application, open-field applications in agriculture involve the use of advanced tools and techniques for rapid disease or pathogen identification in outdoor settings. The LAMP-PCR kit, developed by University of Florida researchers, is a notable example employing loop-mediated isothermal amplification for quick DNA amplification without a thermal cycler. This portable diagnostic kit, equipped with a battery-powered device and a smartphone app, facilitates on-site detection of plant pathogens such as citrus canker and tomato yellow leaf curl virus in under an hour. Future opportunities in plant pathogen detection focus on advanced diagnostic kits, remote laboratory services, and digital platforms incorporating IoT and AI. The success of these advancements relies on technological progress and their demonstrated benefits to farmers, promising a more efficient and effective approach to disease detection in agriculture.

Controlled environment applications in indoor agriculture, such as greenhouses and labs, employ precise and sensitive techniques such as culture-based approaches, PCR-based methods, and sequencing-based techniques for pathogen identification and genomic data analysis. Notably, Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) technology is adapted for diagnostic kits, offering rapid and accurate detection of specific DNA or RNA sequences of plant pathogens. These portable CRISPR-based kits provide on-site use in greenhouses with advantages in specificity, sensitivity, and speed over traditional methods. The future market in controlled environments includes opportunities for advanced diagnostic kits, digital services for remote monitoring and predictive modeling, and specialized lab services, presenting a comprehensive approach to plant pathogen detection with tailored testing and expert advisory services.

Segmentation 2: by Product
•    Diagnostic Kits
•    Digital Solutions
•    Laboratory Services

Based on product, utilizing cutting-edge technologies such as remote sensing and data analytics, digital services enable real-time monitoring in agriculture. This combined approach enhances both accuracy and speed, effectively addressing food security concerns and facilitating proactive disease management. Plant disease detection and monitoring technology have seen significant advancements, particularly in the realm of artificial intelligence, where deep learning revolutionizes the identification of issues through image analysis. Tools such as Plantix on smartphones empower farmers to collect and share georeferenced data on diseases, while remote sensing methods, employing drones or satellites, provide broader-scale monitoring of crop health. The integration of multispectral sensors in drone and satellite technology further advances plant disease detection, capturing images in various light wavelengths for real-time monitoring. This not only reduces pesticide use but also contributes to improved crop yield and quality.

Laboratory services employ established techniques such as PCR and microscopy for precise plant pathogen detection, with notable examples such as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Plant Pathogen Confirmatory Diagnostics Lab, which specializes in accredited biochemical and molecular diagnostics. Recent technological advancements in plant disease detection include commercially available devices with advanced imaging technologies and the rapid growth of portable point-of-care diagnostics utilizing PCR and immunochromatography. A noteworthy trend is the integration of blockchain technology in laboratory and digital services, aiming to enhance traceability, transparency, and secure sharing of plant pathogen detection data. This integration has the potential to bolster confidence in agricultural supply chains by ensuring a more secure and verifiable data-sharing environment.

Diagnostic kits play a crucial role in swiftly and precisely detecting plant diseases through molecular techniques that identify pathogen DNA or proteins. The adoption of advanced molecular methods, such as PCR, immunology, and biosensors, is on the rise due to their ability to offer faster and more precise plant pathogen detection compared to traditional methods. Recent advancements in these diagnostic kits include the incorporation of nanotechnology and biosensors for rapid and precise detection, the integration of point-of-care devices with the Internet of Things (IoT) for on-site diagnosis, and the development of more versatile kits capable of detecting multiple pathogens in a single assay. These innovations contribute to minimizing crop losses, improving pest control, and preventing disease outbreaks by facilitating swift and informed disease management decisions.

Segmentation 3: by Region
•    North America - U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Rest-of-North America
•    Europe - Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Ukraine, and Rest-of-Europe
•    China
•    U.K.
•    Asia-Pacific - Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand, and Rest-of-Asia-Pacific
•    South America - Argentina, Brazil, and Rest-of-South America
•    Middle East and Africa - South Africa, Turkey, Israel, and Rest-of-Middle East and Africa

Plant pathogen detection in North America is driven by the increasing demand for food security and adherence to international trade regulations and standards. Advancements in molecular techniques and point-of-care devices offer fast, specific, and cost-effective on-site diagnosis. The emergence of new plant diseases and pests due to climate change and human practices necessitates improved detection methods. The availability of research and development funds, regulated diagnostic labs, and major industry players further support growth in this field. Overall, plant pathogen detection is crucial for mitigating crop losses and ensuring food quality in the region.

Recent Developments in the Global Pathogen or Plant Disease Detection and Monitoring Market

•  In July 2021, EarthDaily Analytics unveiled the launch schedule for its upcoming constellation of Earth observation satellites. This satellite constellation is poised to significantly enhance geospatial analytics capabilities across various sectors such as agriculture, forestry, environment, financial services, defense, and intelligence. Construction of the new generation of satellites commenced in July 2021, and launches were scheduled for late 2023 or early 2024.
• In August 2023, Agdia Inc. launched the Thrips Spot Viruses ImmunoComb as a new addition to their ImmunoComb product line. This groundbreaking offering integrates three established ImmunoStrips into a convenient format, providing growers with an effective tool to identify and address plant viruses that exhibit similar symptoms and share a common insect vector.
•  In September 2023, Abingdon Health plc joined forces with the U.K.-based B-Corp design agency Morrama Ltd to accelerate the development of environment-friendly housings for lateral flow tests. Collaborating under the newly established venture, Eco-Flo Innovations Ltd, the partnership aims to invest in sustainable design solutions tailored for the lateral flow market. This market has been pivotal in both COVID-19 diagnostics and plant health assessments for many years.
•  Planet Labs PBC acquired Sinergise in March 2023. This acquisition enhances the company’s data analysis capabilities, potentially contributing valuable insights to plant pathogen detection by bolstering the platform's ability to provide detailed and comprehensive information relevant to agricultural and environmental monitoring.

Demand – Drivers, Challenges, and Opportunities

Market Drivers: Rising Threat of Fungicide Resistance Crops

The pathogen or plant disease detection and monitoring market is experiencing growth due to heightened fungicide use, the development of new fungicides, and the urgency to manage fungicide resistance. This market can play a crucial role by providing tools for rapid, precise, and cost-effective diagnosis of fungal diseases and resistance status in the field. Moreover, it offers solutions for integrating various disease management methods, such as biologicals, conventional fungicides, and novel compounds, to achieve sustainable and effective control of fungal diseases.

A 2021 United Nations-backed study emphasizes that climate change is exacerbating the impact of pests on crucial agricultural crops, posing heightened risks to global food security and the environment. The increasing prevalence of plant diseases, driven by climate change, global food trade, and pathogen evolution, underscores the necessity for robust surveillance to safeguard the global food supply. Key technologies in this domain include disease sensors, high-throughput sequencing, predictive modeling, and data analytics. Furthermore, the market is influenced by interdisciplinary collaborations involving plant pathology, precision agriculture, plant development, risk assessment, genetic diversity, and microbial interactions.

Market Challenges: Lack of Accuracy and Sample Security

Traditional molecular techniques, such as serological and nucleic acid-based assays, face challenges such as inaccurate results due to complex sample preparation, lengthy diagnostic timelines, and specialized laboratory requirements. These methods may struggle with identifying asymptomatic or latent infections and differentiating between viable and non-viable pathogens. Additionally, sample security is a concern, with the risk of contamination, degradation, or loss during transportation, storage, or processing compromising result integrity. These challenges impede widespread adoption across various settings, increasing operational costs and diminishing profitability.

GM crops have significantly transformed agriculture, contributing to increased productivity, economic prosperity, and food security. While these crops offer improved disease resistance, their widespread adoption poses a challenge for plant disease detection. The adoption of Bt corn has expanded due to resistance against corn rootworm and earworm, extending beyond its initial focus on the European corn borer pre-2003. Similarly, the adoption of Bt cotton is influenced by the severity of occurrences of tobacco budworm, bollworm, and pink bollworm. This trend is evident in the provided table for the U.S., a leading adopter of agricultural technology globally.

Market Opportunities: Innovations in Point-of-Care Diagnostics

Point-of-care diagnostics (POCD) are transforming disease detection by providing rapid, accurate, and cost-effective testing near the patient or infection site, eliminating the need for specialized laboratories. The growth of the pathogen or plant disease detection and monitoring market is anticipated to be driven by the adoption of innovative digital techniques. POCD tools and kits are becoming essential for timely disease analysis, offering immediate solutions, facilitating effective surveillance, and minimizing production losses in agriculture.

Integrated devices, such as smartphones, wearables, and IoT, are enabling real-time data collection and analysis related to plant health. These devices cover parameters such as soil conditions, temperature, humidity, nutrient levels, pest presence, and disease symptoms. They also facilitate remote sensing and diagnosis of plant diseases using cutting-edge technologies such as AI, machine learning, computer vision, and spectral imaging. This technological advancement is revolutionizing agricultural practices by allowing for more precise and efficient management of crop health.

The widespread use of advanced assay technologies, including in-field diagnostics, plays a pivotal role in the early detection of plant pathogens. This early detection significantly reduces agricultural losses, benefiting both farmers and the industry.

Analyst’s Thoughts

According to Debraj Chakraborty, Principal Analyst at BIS Research, “The pathogen or plant disease detection and monitoring market is rapidly growing, driven by technological advancements such as AI and IoT. There is a pressing need for innovative solutions to counter rising threats to global food security, emphasizing precision and early detection. Stakeholders recognize the economic and environmental benefits, signaling a paradigm shift in the industry with promising opportunities for growth and investment."