MiCODetect Project – Guidelines for an Optical Sensor for Presymptomatic Detection of Zymoseptoria tritici in Wheat

The MiCODetect project defines specifications for an optical sensor capable of presymptomatic detection of Septoria tritici blotch in wheat. Metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses of the wheat–pathogen interaction identified three tryptophan pathway metabolites as biomarkers emitting UV-UV fluorescence during infection. Field trials showed that changes in wheat leaf fluorescence correlate with later symptom development, suggesting real-time pathogen quantification. This approach aims to refine fungicide timing by reducing reliance on climate-based models. Further experiments will determine the most predictive emission wavelengths and evaluate the specificity and robustness of the fluorescent signal under diverse field conditions.