Plant diseases pose a significant threat to global agriculture, resulting in annual crop yield losses exceeding $200 billion USD. Current methods for testing seeds during production are destructive, time-consuming and often fail to detect low-frequency pathogens, which can lead to potential outbreaks. Approximately 30% of all produced seeds are sampled and destroyed for testing; however, low-frequency events such as viral infections can still go undetected in the untested batch portions.

Insporos Technologies Inc. has developed an AI-driven seed sorter that employs a unique metabolomics-based approach to non-destructively classify and remove diseased or nonviable seeds. This represents a significant advancement over traditional destructive sampling methods, as it not only preserves a larger portion of seeds but also improves the efficiency of disease detection. Founded in 2023 by Dr. Mallory Flynn and Amanda Ackroyd, this BC-based start-up aims to revolutionize quality control in the seed industry, empowering growers, propagators and producers worldwide with healthier and more reliable seeds.

Insporos is currently working to identify the full range of seed-borne pathogens that can be detected through the metabolomic signatures captured from each seed. With funding from Genome BC, the company will enhance its capabilities for identifying the metabolomic profiles associated with viral infections in tomato and pepper seeds, two crops particularly vulnerable to seed-borne diseases. This project represents a significant opportunity for Insporos to enhance its diagnostic capabilities while addressing important challenges within the British Columbia greenhouse sector.