News » 09.10.2025 - When 97% abundance is the problem, and not merely a positive test
Greenhouse growers looking for more precise tools to monitor plant health and optimize production may find new value in DNA sequencing–based disease diagnostics. Ceragen, a Canadian agtech company, has launched a disease testing service based on high-resolution DNA sequencing, providing a comprehensive view of the microbial communities present in greenhouse samples.
The company's CEO, Danielle Rose, says the service evolved from internal research and development work evaluating the impact of microbial inoculants.
"We were sequencing samples to track how our beneficial microbes were affecting the microbiome," she explains. "But in doing so, we were also detecting the full range of disease-causing organisms at the same time."
Unlike PCR testing (currently the dominant method used for plant disease diagnostics, which typically checks for a fixed panel of known pathogens), DNA sequencing captures a full snapshot of all microorganisms in a sample. This includes both pathogens and beneficial organisms, reported as a relative abundance within the microbial community.
For example, a test might indicate that Phytophthora constitutes 97% of the fungal population in a given sample, information that can help growers assess the severity of a potential disease issue more accurately than a simple positive/negative result.
Use cases expanding beyond disease detection
According to Ceragen, the utility of sequencing data is already expanding well beyond basic disease diagnostics. Growers are beginning to use the service in a variety of ways, such as assessing the effectiveness of fungicide treatments by comparing microbial community profiles before and after application. Others are using the data to monitor how well microbial products are establishing in the growing environment, ensuring that beneficial organisms are not only applied but are actually persisting.
Sequencing is also proving valuable as a preventative measure, with growers screening incoming plant material to confirm it's free of pathogens before it enters the greenhouse. In some cases, they're even testing insect populations, such as bees, for the presence of disease-causing organisms that might otherwise go unnoticed.
"Growers are experimenting with the data in various ways," says Danielle Rose. "They want to understand whether products are working, if diseases are being controlled, and whether healthy microbial populations are maintained."
Baseline comparisons and database development
As the company processes more samples, it is building a growing database of microbial profiles from healthy greenhouse systems. This allows Ceragen to compare new samples against baseline data to help determine if certain organisms are present at abnormally high levels.
In one case, a grower who suspected a Pythium outbreak submitted a sample for sequencing. While Pythium was present in small amounts, the test showed that Phytophthora made up 97% of the fungal community.
Digital portal and long-term AI applications
Currently, disease test results are delivered as static reports. However, Ceragen is developing a digital portal that will give growers access to historical sample data and tools to track microbiome changes over time. The platform will enable side-by-side sample comparisons, trend analysis, and support more proactive crop monitoring.
Looking ahead, the company plans to use this growing data set to support AI-driven disease prediction models. By training machine learning algorithms on sequencing data from both healthy and diseased plants, Ceragen aims to develop tools that could detect the early stages of disease before visible symptoms appear.
"As we build a larger database, we'll be able to better understand what a healthy system looks like versus one trending toward disease. That's when predictive capabilities become possible."
New microbial product to launch at Canadian Greenhouse Conference
In addition to disease diagnostics, Ceragen will also be introducing a new microbial inoculant at the upcoming Canadian Greenhouse Conference. Designed primarily for cucumbers, the product was developed to help increase fruit count and yield, and has shown consistent performance in early trials. A patent for the product is currently being filed.
"We identified a strain that reliably boosts yield and shows good persistence in the microbiome. Initial trials have been promising, and we're expanding to test in lettuce and other crops as well."
The product will launch in the U.S. market first, where regulatory processes are faster. Ceragen is also exploring opportunities to support growers in Mexico, particularly those with cross-border operations.
Ceragen's disease testing service is currently available to greenhouse fruit and vegetable growers in Canada and the U.S., with plans to expand further. Logistics and regulatory requirements are being explored for additional regions.
Source: www.floraldaily.com
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