The device collects particles from the air, such as fungal spores. At the end of the user-defined sampling period, the sample is moved through a series of different processes, which enables the instrument to detect the amount of spores of a target species that were in the air during the sampling period. To do this, the spores are broken open in order to release the DNA inside. Once broken open, a subsample of the disrupted spores is transferred to a tube of dried reagents within the device, in order to detect the DNA of a specific crop pathogen using a DNA-specific assay.