MiCODetect Project – Guidelines for an Optical Sensor for Presymptomatic Detection of Septoria tritici in Integrated Wheat Blotch Management

Septoria tritici blotch, caused by the fungus Zymoseptoria tritici, is the leading disease driving fungicide use in European wheat. MiCODetect proposes an integrated management tool based on detecting fluorescent secondary metabolites produced by wheat during the asymptomatic infection phase. A combined metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis identified three tryptophan‐derived compounds that emit in the UV‐UV range and correlate with later symptom development in field trials. The study outlines the development of a presymptomatic optical sensor, highlights the need to refine emission wavelength selection, and assesses the specificity and robustness of the fluorescence signal to optimize fungicide applications.