Can a pocket-sized device identify plant species in the middle of a field?
In short: Scientists from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, test whether they can sequence plant genomes inside a tent using portable technology. This film documents their attempt to overcome challenging environmental conditions to identify species using only DNA, potentially transforming how we conduct conservation and biodiversity research.
Identifying plant species by sight is notoriously difficult, even for experts. Traditionally, whole-genome sequencing has been a slow, costly process requiring extensive laboratory infrastructure. This experiment explores whether a compact MinION DNA sequencer, developed by Oxford Nanopore Technologies, can bypass these limitations.
The team conducted their fieldwork in Snowdonia National Park, supported by the Kew Pilot Study Fund and the Howard Lloyd Davies Legacy foundation. By moving the sequencing process from the lab to a tent, the researchers aim to prove that rapid, portable identification is possible, which could have significant implications for fighting wildlife crime and protecting biodiversity.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Kew Science - Adventures in genome sequencing
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