This Company Developed Assay For Fast In-House Testing Of Hop Latent Viroid

Purple City Labs, a plant molecular biology company developing germplasm and technologies for the management of breeding programs and nurseries, is rolling out a reverse transcription- loop mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) based assay for testing and surveillance of hop latent viroid.

Hop latent viroid is the principal viral agent affecting cannabis plants, it has the propensity to spread quickly through a nursery via tools. Infected plants often appear asymptomatic in a vegetative state only to show symptoms once flowering. It can cause catastrophic damage to a facility with cannabinoid levels and yields reduced by more than 30%.

The assay was custom developed for Purple City Genetics, a California cannabis breeding company, after they had a disappointing experience with outside testing labs.

The OnSight testing platform uses a crude sample preparation, which significantly cuts down cost and time compared to RT-PCR testing. A trained operator is able to test hundreds of samples with same-day results. The current sensitivity of the molecular reaction, expected to increase in future versions, has been quantified at 375 copies of viroid per microliter. Purple City Labs conducted a number of proficiency tests comparing OnSight with six other commercially available assays, finding it to be as accurate.

Purple City Labs conducted a successful pilot study to test the feasibility of adapting the system in other facilities, and over a dozen nurseries, cultivators and labs in the US and Canada are early adopters. The molecular assay is part of a package where PCL scientists advise customers on best practices in their facility, the appropriate equipment needed to run OnSight assays and provide comprehensive training to execute the assay.

The most successful cannabis business event in the world, the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference, returns to Miami for its 16th edition. This is the place where DEALS GET DONE, where money is raised, M&A starts, and companies meet investors and key partners. Join us at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach Hotel in Florida on April 11-12. Don’t miss out. Secure your tickets now. Prices will surge very soon.

Photo by Louis Reed on Unsplash