Diagnostic tools for detection of pathogens and diseases in plantation crops

Plant pathogens are serious threats to the cultivation of commercially important plantations and result in a significant reduction in both quality and yield. Timely and precise diagnosis of these diseases is critical for adopting effective management measures to avoid crop loss. This review provides a comprehensive overview of technological advancements for pathogen and disease detection. Various methods have been developed to detect pathogens at different stages of infection. Traditional approaches such as visual inspection and symptom-based diagnosis are simple and cost-effective but detect diseases only after symptoms appear, limiting early intervention. Microscopy and culture-based techniques allow accurate identification of pathogens, especially fungi and bacteria, but are time-consuming and require skilled personnel. Serological methods, such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), provide rapid and specific detection and are commonly used for pathogen screening in large-scale surveys. Molecular techniques like polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) have revolutionized plant pathogen detection by offering high sensitivity and specificity. Recently, technologies such as microfluidics, digital PCR, biosensor-based detection, and remote sensing have emerged as promising alternatives, offering efficiency and the potential for rapid diagnostics, thereby enhancing timely disease surveillance.