Peanut smut, caused by the fungus Thecaphora frezzii, is one of the main threats to the crop in Córdoba. It can reduce commercial quality and cause losses ranging from 5% to 30%. In cases of high infection, the damage is even greater.
Inta Manfredi, together with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the HudsonAlpha Institute, developed an innovative biotechnological tool. The technique allows for the detection, at the seed level, of genes resistant to smut. This advancement aims to reduce the time and costs of field evaluation.
According to Jorge Baldessari, head of Inta's breeding program, the complexity of evaluating the disease in crops motivated the development. Meanwhile, experts in the United States are also collaborating, closely monitoring the possible arrival of the fungus in their territory. The tool anticipates problems and strengthens competitiveness.
A key role for Córdoba in biotechnology
The first stage of the process takes place in the Biotechnology Laboratory at Inta Manfredi. There, DNA is extracted from each seed and samples are prepared to be sent to the HudsonAlpha Institute. At that U.S. center, sequencing technologies and bioinformatic analyses specific to peanuts are applied.
Unlike other laboratories that use specific markers, in Córdoba thousands of markers distributed throughout the genome are applied. This increases the accuracy and speed of the work. In 2024, the laboratory processed 2,000 samples in just three months, doubling its usual capacity.
