Noninvasive, Presymptomatic Detection of Potato Cyst Nematode Infection in Tomato Using Chlorophyll Fluorescence Analysis

Potato cyst nematodes (PCNs) are notorious pathogens in all major potato production areas worldwide. Mainly due to the low mobility of this soil pathogen, PCN infestations are mostly observed as patches ("foci") that only cover a fraction of the acreage. In-field presymptomatic localization of these pathogens is valuable, as it would allow for the localized application of control measures. Although the mapping of foci is technically feasible, it is unpractical, as it would require the analysis of numerous soil samples. We investigated whether chlorophyll fluorescence (Chl-F) could be suitable as a rapid, nondestructive method for early PCN detection. To this end, the impact of four <i>Globodera pallida</i> densities on the Chl-F of tomato was investigated in a phenotyping greenhouse for 26 days. Furthermore, the classical plant performance indicators of biomass and root surface area were compared with Chl-F. Thermal dissipation (NPQ) and an estimate of the photosynthetic rate (Φ_PSII) responded at 1 day postinoculation, and Φ_PSII was most sensitive to low PCN infection levels. Chl-F parameters responded more readily to PCN infection than biomass and root surface area. The maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (F_v/F_m) and the potential activity of photosystem II (F_v/F₀) initially increased at low PCN infection levels, whereas a sharp decrease was observed at higher infestation levels. Hence, our data suggest that low PCN levels promoted plant performance before becoming detrimental at higher levels. Although Chl-F allowed for early and sensitive PCN detection, it remains to be investigated whether these signals can be distinguished from those produced by other belowground stressors in the field. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY 4.0 International license.