Current and emerging trends in techniques for plant pathogen detection

Abstract

Plant pathogenic microorganisms cause substantial yield losses in several economically important crops, resulting in economic and social adversity. The spread of such plant pathogens and the emergence of new diseases is facilitated by human practices such as monoculture farming and global trade. Therefore, the early detection and identification of pathogens is of utmost importance to reduce the associated agricultural losses. In this review, techniques that are currently available to detect plant pathogens are discussed, including culture-based, PCR-based, sequencing-based, and immunology-based techniques. Their working principles are explained, followed by an overview of the main advantages and disadvantages, and examples of their use in plant pathogen detection. In addition to the more conventional and commonly used techniques, we also point to some recent evolutions in the field of plant pathogen detection. The potential use of point-of-care devices, including biosensors, have gained in popularity. These devices can provide fast analysis, are easy to use, and most importantly can be used for on-site diagnosis, allowing the farmers to take rapid disease management decisions.