Dong-Yan Zhang

By Xin-Gen Zhou, Dongyan Zhang and Fenfang Lin

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) remote sensing is a new alternative to traditional diagnosis and detection of rice diseases by visual symptoms, providing quick, accurate and large coverage disease detection. UAV remote sensing offers an unprecedented spectral, spatial, and temporal resolution that can distinguish diseased plant tissue from healthy tissue based on the characteristics of disease symptoms. Research has been conducted on using RGB sensor, multispectral sensor, and hyperspectral sensor for successful detection and quantification of sheath blight (Rhizoctonia solani), using multispectral sensor to accurately detect narrow brown leaf spot (Cercospora janseana), and using infrared thermal sensor for detecting the occurrence of rice blast (Magnaporthe oryzae). UAV can also be used for aerial application, and UAV spraying has become a new means for control of rice sheath blight and other crop diseases in many countries, especially China and Japan. UAV spraying can operate at low altitudes and various speeds, making it suitable for situations where arial and ground applications are unavailable or infeasible and where precision applications are needed. Along with advances in digitalization and artificial intelligence for precision application across fertilizer, pest and crop management needs, this UAV technology will become a core tool in a farmer’s precision equipment mix in the future.

Part of the book: Diagnostics of Plant Diseases

By Fenfang Lin, Dongyan Zhang, Xin-Gen Zhou and Yu Lei

Diseases are among the most important factors limiting worldwide production of wheat. Accurate detection of diseases is the key to develop effective management strategies for control of these diseases. Spectroscopy-based technology can be a non-destructive, quick, efficient tool to accurately detect and monitor the occurrence and development of crop diseases. There has seen an increased interest in the research and application of spectrum technology for the diagnosis and detection of wheat diseases in recent years. This book chapter provides a brief review on research advances in using spectroscopy techniques to detect wheat diseases, with a focus on the diagnosis and detection of Fusarium head blight, powdery mildew, and stripe rust, three important fungal diseases in wheat worldwide. Disease symptoms and traditional disease detection methods are also included. Both literature and our original research data are presented, with the section of conclusion and prospects at the end of this book chapter.

Part of the book: Diagnostics of Plant Diseases