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 in 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 citrus fruits imported from third countries 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 HLB 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 of plant health inspections.

EmergeNOW brings together novel, recently developed and upscaled technologies, including:

1. Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA) kits for rapid, in-situ diagnostic applications in fungal and bacterial diseases
2. High Throughput Sequencing assays (HTS) for on-site molecular identification of Phyllosticta citricarpa (P. c.) and Candidatus Liberibacter spp. (Ca. L spp.)
3. Fluorescent Array-based sensor device (FAST) based on organic probes and functionalized for the detection of P.c and Ca. L spp.
4. AI-based smartphone hyperspectral imager for CBS & HLB symptoms detection
5. IoT-based electronic nose (e-Nose) sensor for detection of HLB insect-vectors (Diaphorina citri, Trioza erytreae and Cacopsylla citrisuga)
6. Autonomous mobile self-navigating robot (AMR) for CBS and HLB symptom monitoring
7. AI-based robotic trap for real-time monitoring of D. citri, T. erytreae and C. citrisuga
8. AI-based Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) for thermal and hyperspectral monitoring of CBS and HLB
9. AI-powered mobile application for image-based symptom detection

All developed technologies will be interconnected with a Decision Support System (DSS) with blockchain and cybersecurity mechanisms, which will function as an Early Warning System to support informed decisions. Also, a Digital Social Collaboration Platform (DSCP) will enable stakeholder knowledge exchange. 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.

The digital tools will be integrated into a systemic Early Warning System incorporating blockchain technologies and Machine Learning (ML) analytics to support informed decision-making 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, Asian citrus psyllid-ACP), Uganda (CBS, HLB, T. erytreae), Vietnam (HLB, ACP, C. citrisuga), and in Cyprus (ACP). The optimised tools will be demonstrated in authorized Border Control Posts in Greece, Italy, Spain and Cyprus.