A Rapid Detection Method for Tomato Gray Mold Spores in Greenhouse Based on Microfluidic Chip Enrichment and...

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Biotechnology
• Optics and Photonics

Background:

• Early detection of tomato gray mold (caused by *Botrytis cinerea*) is crucial for crop yield.
• Current detection methods can be time-consuming, hindering rapid intervention.
• Developing efficient spore detection systems is vital for greenhouse agriculture.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a rapid detection method for *Botrytis cinerea* spores in greenhouses.
• To utilize microfluidic chip enrichment and lens-free diffraction imaging for spore detection.
• To establish a basis for real-time monitoring of tomato gray mold spores.

Main Methods:

• Designed a microfluidic chip with a triangular rib structure for spore enrichment.
• Built a lens-free diffraction imaging system to capture spore images.
• Processed and analyzed diffraction images for automatic spore counting.
• Validated results through microscopic manual counting and Bland-Altman analysis.

Main Results:

• Microfluidic chip demonstrated high collection efficiency for spores (up to 87.52% at 14 mL/min).
• Automatic counting via diffraction imaging showed a low average error (6.42%) compared to manual counting.
• Bland-Altman analysis confirmed good consistency between the automated and manual methods.

Conclusions:

• The proposed method offers a rapid and accurate approach for detecting *Botrytis cinerea* spores.
• Lens-free diffraction imaging combined with microfluidics shows promise for real-time agricultural disease monitoring.
• This technology can support timely disease management strategies in tomato production.