EmergeNOW is a project funded by the European Union within the Horizon Europe programme, with 12 EU partners and 3 from Uganda, US, and Vietnam.

This project started on September 2025 and will last 3 years. It is coordinated by the Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH) in Greece.

EmergeNOW is an innovation action project that addresses challenges in detecting phytosanitary risks on imported citrus fruits by deploying a systemic solution that uses cutting-edge digital and molecular tools for rapid, on-site detection of Citrus Black Spot (CBS), Huanglongbing (HLB), and their insect vectors at EU import points, enabling early warning and control. The solution aims to revolutionize import control procedures at ports and airports by improving precision and efficiency for plant health inspections.

EmergeNOW brings novel developed and upscaled technologies:

1. i) Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA) kits for rapid, in situ diagnostic applications in fungal and bacterial diseases
2. ii) High Throughput Sequencing assays (HTS) for on site molecular identification of P. c and Ca. L spp.

iii) Fluorescent Array-based sensor device (FAST) based on organic probes and functionalized for the detection of P.c and Ca. L spp.

1. iv) AI-based smartphone hyperspectral imager for CBS & HLB symptoms detection
2. v) IoT-based e-Nose sensor for vector detection (D. citri, T. erytreae and C. citrisuga)
3. vi) Autonomous mobile self-navigating robot (AMR) for CBS and HLB symptom monitoring

vii) AI-based robotic trap for real time D. citri, T. erytreae and C. citrisuga monitoring

viii) AI-based Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for thermal and hyperspectral monitoring of CBS and HLB

1. ix) AI-powered mobile application for image-based symptom detection

All the technologies will be interconnected with a Decision Support Systems with blockchain and cybersecurity mechanisms acting as an Early Warning System for informed decisions. Also, a Digital Social Collaboration Platform (DSCP) enables stakeholder knowledge exchange, and the Digital Research Object Portal (DROP) Platform will define metadata and will deploy services to the plant health community, associated with the digital objects (data and documents) produced during the project.

Digital tools link in systemic alert system with blockchain, ML analytics and will enable informed decisions for import control. Focusing on showcasing real problem scenarios, the developed tools and methods will be initially tested and optimised in biosecure enviroments at Plant Health Centers (PHC) and afterwards validated in citrus orchards in USA (CBS, HLB, ACP), Uganda (CBS, HLB, T.e), Vietnam (HLB, ACP, C.c), and in Cyprus (ACP). The optimised tools will be demonstrated in authorized Border Control Posts in Greece, Italy, Spain and Cyprus.