Pesticides For Crop Protection Research Articles

Characterisation and toxins analysis of symbiotic bacteria Photorhabdus luminescens isolated from Heterorhabditis indica ICRI-18 strain

Entomopathogenic nematodes are proven alternatives to pesticides in crop protection as they belong to the Heterorhabditidae and Steinernematidae families. The role of entomopathogenic nematodes has expanded considerably in the recent past for their efficacy as biopesticide which is influenced by nematode species and strain. Members of the genus Heterorhabditis have been found to harbor a symbiotic bacteria Photorhabdus sp. When the nematode is ingested by the insect, Photorhabdus sp. is released into the host haemocoel where they multiply rapidly and kill the insect. The main objective of our research was to examine the insect killing toxin property of symbiotic bacteria isolated from the entomopathogenic nematodes Heterorhabditis indica. The antagonistic potential of insecticidal toxin from Photorhabdus sp. was investigated. The results prove that toxic components produced by these bacteria could kill pests either through ingestion or injection. The broad-spectrum antimicrobial property produced by Photorhabdus sp. was analysed by conducting both antibiogram and antibiosis studies.

Developmental formulation of sustainable plant consortium based pesticide and its prominent pesticidal activity

AbstractChemical pesticides in crop protection pose long‐term threats to living beings due to their harmful side effects. Plant consortium, a mixture of diverse plant extracts and biomedicine, has gained attention for integrated pest management. Developmental formulations increase bioavailability of bioactive constituents, enhancing desired biological activities. The present study is undertaken to evaluate the pesticidal activity of the plant consortium composed of Zingiber officinale, Allium sativum, and Capsicum annuum against Spodoptera litura under laboratory condition. Followed by measuring pesticidal activity, ecotoxicity of prepared formulation was investigated. The plant consortium was prepared from the selected plant extracts through green science principles. The presence of possible bioactive compounds in plant consortium prepared from ethanolic extracts of selected plants was determined using Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC‐MS). Pesticidal activity of the prepared consortium was investigated against S. litura by determination of cumulative mortality, lethal concentration. Active principles of pesticidal activity associated with plant consortium was readily extracted in ethanol. Prepared consortium revealed notable pesticidal activity against S. litura larval stages by recording high mortality and least LC50 and LC90. The plant consortium has not shown any ecotoxic effect which was confirmed by no sign of toxic effects on plant growth parameters of seedlings. Ecotoxicity of proposed consortium was also studied by measuring the soil parameters and phytotoxicity assessment. The present study suggests the possible utilization of presently proposed plant consortium as an effective pesticidal agent without affecting ecosystem.

Removal of Pesticide Residues in Aqueous Solution by Adsorption Using Pineapple Peel Activated Carbon

The use of synthetic pesticides in crop protection generates dilute pesticide solution resulting from the cleaning of pesticide application equipment, also known as pesticide rinsate. If not disposed or treated properly, this may result to the contamination of surface water or groundwater. One of the possible management practices for pesticide rinsate is the use of activated carbon as an adsorbent. Activated carbon was prepared from pineapple peel using phosphoric acid through chemical activation. Characterization of the surface morphology through Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) confirmed the successful activation of the carbon. The resulting Pineapple Peel Activated Carbon (PPAC) was utilized as adsorbent in the removal of the carbamate methomyl in the pesticide rinsate. Analysis of the cleaned rinsate using a High-Performance Liquid Chromatograph confirmed the removal of 96.0-98.4% of methomyl residues in a 7.5 mg L-1 methomyl pesticide rinsate using a 0.5-1.0% w/v PPAC:rinsate ratio. This study showed that activated carbon could be successfully prepared from pineapple peel and used as an effective adsorbent for the remediation of pesticide rinsate to prevent the pollution of surface water or groundwater.

Preparation of oximoether derivatives of osthole and their pesticidal properties

To explore non-food bioactive products for pesticide candidates, and high value-added application of crop plants in agriculture, by using osthole (a natural coumarin isolated from a Chinese herbal medicine Cnidium monnieri) as a lead compound, a series of osthole derivatives containing oximoether groups were synthesized, and evaluated for their agricultural activities against Tetranychus cinnabarinus and Mythimna separata. The key steric configurations of eight derivatives were confirmed by X-ray crystallography. Especially compound 4r showed potential insecticidal activity (>2-fold of osthole) against M. separata, and 4g displayed good acaricidal activity against T. cinnabarinus (LC50 = 0.566 mg/mL, > 2-fold of osthole). Their structure–activity relationships were also concluded. It will pave the way for future application of osthole derivatives as coumarin-kind botanical pesticides in crop protection.

Preparation and Biological Evaluation of Novel Osthole-Derived N-Benzoylthioureas as Insecticide Candidates

To discover novel natural-product-based insecticide candidates, herein, a variety of osthole-derived N-benzoylthioureas were synthesized and assessed for their insecticidal activities against three insect pests. An insecticidal assay showed that most of the target osthole-derived N-benzoylthioureas displayed a more potent and broad-spectrum insecticidal effect than the parent osthole after the introduction of N-benzoylthioureas on the C-3' position of osthole. Compound B24 displayed the most potent growth inhibitory (GI) effect on Mythimna separata Walker, with a final corrected mortality rate of 82.1% when treated with a concentration of 1 mg/mL, which was 1.64- and 1.53-fold higher in comparison to osthole and the botanical insecticide toosendanin, respectively. Compounds B22, B23, and B25 displayed a more promising aphicidal effect on Myzus persicae Sulzer, and their LD50 values were 0.015, 0.017, and 0.019 μg/larvae, respectively, superior to the commercially available insecticide rotenone (0.024 μg/larvae). Derivatives B19, B20, B23, and B25 displayed more potent larvicidal activity against Plutella xylostella Linnaeus, with LC50 values of 0.22, 0.26, 0.15, and 0.30 mg/mL, respectively, exceeding that of rotenone (0.37 mg/mL). Furthermore, both compounds B19 and B23 against P. xylostella were found to be more effective than rotenone in a control efficacy assay under greenhouse conditions. The structure-activity relationship (SAR) suggested that osthole-derived N-benzoylthioureas are more active in most cases when the R group is an electron-withdrawing group than when it is an electron-donating group, especially for halogenated groups. Additionally, the potent compounds B19 and B23 possessed good selectivity and were less toxic to non-target organisms. This study suggests that these osthole-derived N-benzoylthioureas could be further studied in depth as eco-friendly natural product pesticides in crop protection.

Acaricidal and insecticidal efficacy of new esters derivatives of a natural coumarin osthole

To discover non-food bioactive natural-product-based pesticides for crop protection, new osthole esters ((2′E)− 4′-(isoxazolin-5''-yl)carbonyloxyosthole derivatives) containing the isoxazoline fragment were constructed by structural modification of a natural coumarin osthole isolated from Cnidium monnieri. The configurations of three compounds were confirmed by X-ray crystallography. Their agricultural activities were evaluated against two typically crop-threatening pests Mythimna separata Walker and Tetranychus cinnabarinus Boisduval. Against T. cinnabarinus, compounds 4 (LC50: 0.75 mg/mL) and 5h (LC50: 0.76 mg/mL) displayed ≥ 1.5-fold acaricidal activity of osthole and good control effects in the greenhouse. Against M. separata, compounds 5a (final mortality rate (FMR): 55.1%), 5c (FMR: 62.0%), and 5o (FMR: 55.1%) at 1 mg/mL showed 1.5–1.6 folds growth inhibitory activity of osthole. It suggested that introduction of the acryloyloxy group at the C-4′ position of osthole was important for insecticidal and acaricidal activities, and compound 4 can be further structurally modified as pesticidal agents.

Antifungal and insecticidal activities of rhein derivatives: synthesis, characterization and preliminary structure–activity relationship studies

There is an urgent need to replace highly polluting pesticides with environmentally friendly green pesticides of high efficiency and low toxicity, because of the growing concern for quality and safety of agricultural products. To discover new pesticides with diverse chemical structures from natural products, a series of rhein derivatives 3a-9b were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their antifungal activity and insecticidal activity. The bioassay showed that some compounds exhibited moderate antifungal activity against Rhizoctonia solani, but lower activity against the other five pathogens. Surprisingly, most compounds displayed potent insecticidal activity against Spodoptera litura and Tetranychus cinnabarinus at a concentration of 2 μmol/mL. In particular, compounds 3a, 5a and 3 b exhibited potent insecticidal activities against S. litura at 72 h, with mortality rates of 100%, 100% and 92.1%, respectively, which were equivalent to that of the insecticide fipronil (100%). Their structure-activity relationships were also discussed. The findings of this experiment provide helpful research ideas for the development of these rhein derivatives as novel natural product-based pesticides in crop protection.

Organic Farming Lessens Reliance on Pesticides and Promotes Public Health by Lowering Dietary Risks

Organic agriculture is a production system that relies on prevention, ecological processes, biodiversity, mechanical processes, and natural cycles to control pests and maintain productivity. Pesticide use is generally limited or absent in organic agroecosystems, in contrast with non-organic (conventional) production systems that primarily rely on pesticides for crop protection. Significant differences in pesticide use between the two production systems markedly alter the relative dietary exposure and risk levels and the environmental impacts of pesticides. Data are presented on pesticide use on organic and non-organic farms for all crops and selected horticultural crops. The relative dietary risks that are posed by organic and non-organic food, with a focus on fresh produce, are also presented and compared. The results support the notion that organic farms apply pesticides far less intensively than conventional farms, in part because, over time on well-managed organic farms, pest pressure falls when compared to the levels on nearby conventional farms growing the same crops. Biopesticides are the predominant pesticides used in organic production, which work by a non-toxic mode of action, and pose minimal risks to human health and the environment. Consequently, eating organic food, especially fruits and vegetables, can largely eliminate the risks posed by pesticide dietary exposure. We recommend ways to lower the pesticide risks by increased adoption of organic farming practices and highlight options along organic food supply chains to further reduce pesticide use, exposures, and adverse worker and environmental impacts.

Systematic review of defense responses against Phytophthora and strategies to manage Phytophthora diseases in citrus.

Phytophthora spp. are the causal agents of gummosis or foot rot, fibrous root rot, and fruit brown rot diseases that affect the roots, trunk, and fruits of citrus trees, causing severe economic losses. This work presents an updated systematic review addressing the defence responses in citrus against Phytophthora and the strategies to manage Phytophthora diseases. Applying a new method of search based on an explicit, rigorous, and transparent methodology. For this purpose, a systematic literature review was conducted using the databases available for academic research. The main plant defence mechanisms reported in the cited papers are the hypersensitivity response, cell wall reinforcement, production of pathogenesis-related proteins, and expression of defence-related genes. Moreover, the main strategies to manage Phytophthora root rot are organic compounds in the soil and biological control with fungi and bacteria. In addition, inhibition of Phytophthora gummosis or canker by applying new oomycota fungicides and reducing the incidence of brown fruit rot through the application of potassium phosphite have also been reported. Moreover, modern plant biotechnology techniques can help to accelerate the selection of resistant rootstocks in breeding programs, as controlled crossings for the generation of hybrids, somatic hybridisation, transgenic citrus plants, mapped genomic regions of Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs), candidate genes, metabolic markers and comparative transcriptomic. These innovative techniques represent a suitable tool to breed new Phytophthora resistant rootstocks, which is widely recognised as the best strategy to face gummosis or foot rot, fibrous root rot and ultimately minimise the expensive use of pesticides in crop protection.

Corrigendum to: Systematic review of defense responses against Phytophthora and strategies to manage Phytophthora diseases in citrus.

Phytophthora spp. are the causal agents of gummosis or foot rot, fibrous root rot, and fruit brown rot diseases that affect the roots, trunk, and fruits of citrus trees, causing severe economic losses. This work presents an updated systematic review addressing the defence responses in citrus against Phytophthora and the strategies to manage Phytophthora diseases. Applying a new method of search based on an explicit, rigorous, and transparent methodology. For this purpose, a systematic literature review was conducted using the databases available for academic research. The main plant defence mechanisms reported in the cited papers are the hypersensitivity response, cell wall reinforcement, production of pathogenesis-related proteins, and expression of defence-related genes. Moreover, the main strategies to manage Phytophthora root rot are organic compounds in the soil and biological control with fungi and bacteria. In addition, inhibition of Phytophthora gummosis or canker by applying new oomycota fungicides and reducing the incidence of brown fruit rot through the application of potassium phosphite have also been reported. Moreover, modern plant biotechnology techniques can help to accelerate the selection of resistant rootstocks in breeding programs, as controlled crossings for the generation of hybrids, somatic hybridisation, transgenic citrus plants, mapped genomic regions of Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs), candidate genes, metabolic markers and comparative transcriptomic. These innovative techniques represent a suitable tool to breed new Phytophthora resistant rootstocks, which is widely recognised as the best strategy to face gummosis or foot rot, fibrous root rot and ultimately minimise the expensive use of pesticides in crop protection.

The Joint Action of Entomopathogenic Nematodes Mixtures and Chemical Pesticides on Controlling Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner)

Chemical pesticides are characterized by the rapid impact effect in reducing pest population, while, microbial pesticides need along the latent period to cause a limited reduction of the pest population. Low efficiency of biocides may be due to low compatibility with agrochemicals or poor application of biocide, so, the study carried out to evaluate the possibility of mixing five common chemical insecticides and nematicides with five compatible entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs). For the control of tomato fruit borer (Helicoverpaarmigera),bioassay revealed that pesticide chlorpyrifos (Pestban 48% EC), chlorpyrifos (Tafaban 48% EC) and flubendiamide (Takumi 20% WG) were applied at the recommended dose. Flubendiamide was less toxic to EPNs infective juveniles compared to fenamiphos (Dento 40% EC). Moreover, steinernematid species were more sensitive than heterorhabditid species to pesticides recording 49.45% and 43.76%, respectively, after 7 days of exposure. The joint action of tested chemical pesticides with IJs of EPNs in controlling the 5th instar larvae of tomato fruit wormshowed an additive or antagonistic reaction with no evidence of synergistic action. Antagonism reaction was recorded with all fenamiphos combinations;the combination ofabamectin and S. feltiae as well as H. bacteriophora (Ba-1), in addition to, flubendiamide combinations with S. feltiae and H. bacteriophora (Ba-1). While, an additive effect was observed in flubendiamide combinations with S. glaseri, S. carpocapsae and H. bacteriophora (HP 88). In the greenhouse experiment, the application of EPNs alone caused mortality ranged from 28 to 36% for 5th instar larvae. Whereas, the highest larval mortality was observed in descending order for combinations between H. bacteriophora (HP88 strain) with fenamiphos (64.0%), chlorpyrifos (54%) and abamectin (54.0%), while, local isolate, H. bacteriophora (Ba-1 strain) achieved mortality ranged from 40 to 50 % with the tested pesticides. Overall, results indicate the feasibility of the integrated use of these nematode species and chemical pesticides in crop protection.

Perspective: service-based business models to incentivize the efficient use of pesticides in crop protection.

Several problems limit the productivity and acceptance of crop protection, including pesticide overuse, pesticide resistance, poor adoption of integrated pest management (IPM), declining funding for research and extension, and inefficiencies of scale. We discuss the proposition that alternative business models for crop protection can address these problems by incentivizing and benefiting from efficiency of pesticide use. Currently, business models are not linked to the adoption of IPM and are sometimes at odds with IPM practices. We explore a business model based on the provision of pest management adequacy through services rather than the sale of pesticide products. Specifically, we advocate for establishment of crop protection adequacy standards that would allow a market system to maximize efficiency. Changing some of the relationships between agricultural companies and producers from one based on products to one based on services is an idea worthy of debate and evaluation for improving the efficiency of pest management. Contemporary information technology enhancing monitoring and coordination warrants attention in this debate. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Use of biocides for controlling viral diseases that attack common bean and cucumber plants

Abstract This study aimed at investigating the antiviral activities of biocides made of formulated essential oils. These were derived from five plant species: fennel, oregano, peppermint, thyme and ginger. The potencies of these preparations were tested against local infection with the Tobacco necrosis virus (TNV) on common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and against systemic infection with the Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) on cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). After the determination of the most effective concentration, the formulated biocides were tested in protective and curative manners (before and after virus inoculation) against the growth of plants. The obtained results showed that the peppermint-derived biocide had the greatest effect on reducing the infectivity of the TNV virus (100% growth inhibition at 4000 ppm), whereas the biocide from thyme was the most effective against the infectivity of the CMV virus, as it induced a complete growth inhibition at 3000 ppm. The results of the protective and curative experiments revealed that the formulated biocides exerted high protection and curative effects against the two viruses. The observations revealed that the biocides were able to enhance plant defences against viral infection, as indicated by the increased levels of total chlorophyll, protein and phenols. Moreover, the levels of the oxidative stress markers including peroxidase (POD), polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) were improved compared to the control settings. In conclusion, the formulated biocides progressively present a favourable alternative to chemically synthesized pesticides in crop protection.

Remote sensing and its use in detection and monitoring plant diseases: A review

Remote sensing is a rapid, non-invasive and efficient technique which can acquire and analyze spectral properties of earth surfaces from various distances, ranging from satellites to ground-based platforms. This modern technology holds promise in agricultural crop production including crop protection. Variability in the reflectance spectra of plants resulting from occurrence of disease and pests, allows their identification using remote sensing data. Various spectroscopic and imaging techniques like visible, infrared, multiband and fluorescence spectroscopy, fluorescence imaging, multispectral and hyperspectral imaging, thermography, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy etc. have been studied for the detection of plant diseases. Several of these techniques have great potential in phytopathometry. Remote sensing technologies will be extremely helpful to greatly spatialize diagnostic results and thereby rendering agriculture more sustainable and safe, avoiding expensive use of pesticides in crop protection.

Natural UAV tele-operation for agricultural application by using Kinect sensor

Remote-controlled (RC) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been extensively applied in agricultural areas, such as remote sensing, precise spraying pesticides for crop protection, agricultural situation inspection and so on, but these telemanipulated UAVs systems are operated entirely by a ground-based pilot with a need of eyes focus on the remote site UAV flight. The key issue existed in agricultural UAV teleoperation area is a longtime training needed. In this paper, a novel natural UAV teleoperation control system in agricultural application was proposed. In UAV teleoperation scenario, human operator gestures measured by using Kinect sensor can be used as control commands for UAV flight. Moreover, some UAV teleoperation control commands related to human hand gestures were defined, which is similar to the radio gymnastic exercises in China. Therefore, gesture recognition-based UAV teleoperation control is easy to learn and master. In addition, a new real time human hand gesture recognition algorithm was proposed. The stability of UAV flight dynamic of roll, pitch and yaw as well as attitude control were verified with the experiments based on the proposed method. At last, the usability and effectiveness of the proposed method has been verified by the experimental results. Keywords: gesture recognition, human pose estimation, depth image, skeleton tracking, teleoperation, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20181104.4096 Citation: Yin X C, Lan Y B, Wen S, Zhang J T, Wu S F. Natural UAV tele-operation for agricultural application by using Kinect sensor. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2018; 11(4): 173-178.

Citrus peel essential oil nanoformulations to control the tomato borer, Tuta absoluta: chemical properties and biological activity

The repeated use of conventional synthetic pesticides in crop protection leads to resistance development by pests along with a negative impact on the environment, particularly non-target arthropods. Plant-derived active compounds, such as essential oils (EOs), play a key role in sustainably controlling pests. The lethal and sublethal activity of citrus peel EOs as emulsions and included in polyethylene glycol (PEG) nanoparticles (EO-NPs) was determined against the invasive tomato pest Tuta absoluta. Their effects on the plants were also assessed. The results showed an overall good insecticidal activity of the compounds tested, with a higher mortality through contact on eggs and larvae by EO emulsions and through ingestion on larvae by EO-NPs. The nanoformulation also significantly reduced the visible toxic effects on the plants. The data collected suggest that these natural compounds, especially when nanoformulated, could be successfully used in integrated pest management programs for T. absoluta.

Tree spacing impacts the individual incidence of Moniliophthora roreri disease in cacao agroforests.

Using conventional pesticides in crop protection has raised serious environmental concerns and there is therefore a need for integrated pest management (IPM) methods. In this paper, we found that the spacing of trees can impact disease, which could result in a reduction in pesticide applications and may act as a potential IPM method. We studied Frosty Pod Rot (FPR) in 20 cacao agroforests in Costa Rica (Upala region). Using a generalized linear mixed model, we analyzed the impact of the neighborhood composition and distance from a studied cacao individual on its individual FPR incidence. We found that the number of cacao tree neighbors in a radius of 3.7 m and the number of fruit trees in a radius of 4.3 m had a significant negative influence on the incidence of FPR on individual cacao trees. Moreover, cacao tree neighbors had the most significant local influence compared to the neighborhood of other taller categories such as fruit or forest trees. The mechanisms involved are related to the barrier effect, due to the effectiveness of the cacao tree's architecture as an efficient barrier against FPR spore dispersal. This paper provides new insights into optimization of the spatial environment around each host as an original IPM method. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Integrating ecosystem services into crop protection and pest management: Case study with the soil fumigant 1,3-dichloropropene and its use in tomato production in Italy

Ecosystems provide the conditions for producing food, regulating water, and providing wildlife habitats; these, among others, are known as ecosystem services (ESs). Food production is both economically and culturally important to southern European farmers, particularly in Italy where farmers grow flavorsome tomatoes with passion and pride. Growers rely on pesticides for crop protection, the potential environmental impact of which is often questioned by regulators and other stakeholders. The European regulatory system for the approval of pesticides includes a thorough evaluation of risks to the environment and is designed to be protective of ecosystems. The consideration of ESs in environmental decision making is a growing trend, and the present case study provides an example of how ESs evaluation could be used to enhance agricultural practices and regulatory policy for crop protection. By attacking plant roots, nematodes may affect the growth and yield of fruit and vegetable crops, and the income earned by farmers at harvest time. Available solutions include chemical treatments such as 1,3-dichloropropene (1,3-D), physical treatments (solarization), and biological treatments (biofumigation). In order to characterize the risks and benefits associated with the use of 1,3-D in crop protection, ESs and socioeconomic analyses were applied to its use in the control of nematodes in tomato cultivation in southern Italy. The present study confirmed the benefits of 1,3-D to tomato production in Italy, with significant positive effects on production yields and farm income when compared to limited and transient potential impacts on services such as soil function. It was confirmed that 1,3-D allows farm income to be maintained and secures tomato production in these regions for the future. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2016;12:801-810. © 2016 SETAC.

Development of a harmonized risk mitigation toolbox dedicated to environmental risks of pesticides in farmland in Europe: outcome of the MAgPIE workshop

Risk mitigation measures are a key component in designing conditions of use of pesticides in crop protection. A 2-step workshop was organized under the auspices of SETAC and the European Commission and gathered risk assessors and risk managers of 21 European countries, industry, academia and agronomical advisors/extension services, in order to provide European regulatory authorities with a toolbox of risk mitigation measures designed to reduce environmental risks of pesticides used in agriculture, and thus contribute to a better harmonization within Europe in the area. The workshop gathered an inventory of the risk mitigation tools for pesticides being implemented or in development in European countries. The inventory was discussed in order to identify the most promising tools for a harmonized toolbox in the European area. The discussions concerned the level of confidence in the technical data on which the tools identified rely, possible regulatory hurdles, expectations as regards the implementation of these tools by farmers and links with risk assessment. Finally, this workshop was a first step towards a network gathering all stakeholders, i.e. experts from national authorities, research sector, industry and farmers, to share information and further develop this toolbox. This paper presents an outline of the content of the toolbox with an emphasis on spray drift reducing techniques, in line with the discussions ongoing in the SPISE workshop.

Advanced methods of plant disease detection. A review

Plant diseases are responsible for major economic losses in the agricultural industry worldwide. Monitoring plant health and detecting pathogen early are essential to reduce disease spread and facilitate effective management practices. DNA-based and serological methods now provide essential tools for accurate plant disease diagnosis, in addition to the traditional visual scouting for symptoms. Although DNA-based and serological methods have revolutionized plant disease detection, they are not very reliable at asymptomatic stage, especially in case of pathogen with systemic diffusion. They need at least 1–2 days for sample harvest, processing, and analysis. Here, we describe modern methods based on nucleic acid and protein analysis. Then, we review innovative approaches currently under development. Our main findings are the following: (1) novel sensors based on the analysis of host responses, e.g., differential mobility spectrometer and lateral flow devices, deliver instantaneous results and can effectively detect early infections directly in the field; (2) biosensors based on phage display and biophotonics can also detect instantaneously infections although they can be integrated with other systems; and (3) remote sensing techniques coupled with spectroscopy-based methods allow high spatialization of results, these techniques may be very useful as a rapid preliminary identification of primary infections. We explain how these tools will help plant disease management and complement serological and DNA-based methods. While serological and PCR-based methods are the most available and effective to confirm disease diagnosis, volatile and biophotonic sensors provide instantaneous results and may be used to identify infections at asymptomatic stages. Remote sensing technologies will be extremely helpful to greatly spatialize diagnostic results. These innovative techniques represent unprecedented tools to render agriculture more sustainable and safe, avoiding expensive use of pesticides in crop protection.