Unravelling Plant-Pathogen Interactions: Proximal Optical Sensing as an Effective Tool for Early Detect Plant Diseases

This study analyzed the potential of proximal optical sensing as an effective approach for early disease detection. A compact, modular system, combining direct UV–Vis spectroscopy with fibers, supported by a principal component analysis (PCA), was applied to evaluate modifications promoted bacteria Xanthomonas euvesicatoria in tomato leaves (cv. cherry). Plant infection achieved spraying bacterial suspension (108 CFU mL−1) until run-off occurred, and similar followed control group, where only water applied. total 270 spectral measurements were performed on leaves, five different time instances, including pre- post-inoculation measurements. PCA then acquired data from both healthy inoculated which allowed their distinction differentiation, three days after inoculation, when unhealthy plants still asymptomatic.