iPotato: Novel non-destructive detection of internal defects in potatoes

在英国，受损的作物使马铃薯产业损失超过200英镑/公顷，需要在生产系统的每个阶段都加以注意，以最大限度地降低成本。虽然疾病导致作物损失，但从外部无法检测到的内部块茎缺陷（例如，黑心、空心和布朗宁、瘀伤等）也有很大贡献。此外，内部缺陷是客户投诉的一个重要原因，导致作物拒收，增加了直接的生产力损失。因此，开发用于检测完整块茎中的内部缺陷以及用于监测其进展的非破坏性方法对于（i）降低由于此类缺陷而对块茎造成损害的风险，（ii）保持消费者对作物质量的信任，以及（iii）使生产率的降低和行业的相关成本最小化是必不可少的。衰减全反射（ATR）和拉曼光谱技术可以根据作物的光谱指纹对作物品质进行非侵入性和非破坏性的分析（例如Butler等人，2015，Anal Methods 7，4059; Butler等人，2017，Vib Spectrosc 90，46; Skolik et al，2019，Planta 249，925）。该项目将采用多学科方法来研究基于生物光谱传感器的方法为检测完整马铃薯块茎中的内部缺陷提供解决方案的假设。学生将：1。研究块茎内部缺陷引起的光谱指纹变化。确定不同的内部缺陷是否会导致块茎光谱指纹的明显变化。确定两个马铃薯品种对内部缺陷的敏感性不同的光谱指纹变化的分子机制。确定是否可以从无症状的完整结节的光谱指纹预测内部缺陷的发展，5。评估生物光谱学与化学计量学相结合作为自主识别马铃薯内部缺陷的诊断工具的潜力。

In the UK, damaged crops cost the potato industry over £200/ha requiring care to be taken at every stage of the production system to minimise this cost. Although disease contributes to crop losses, internal tuber defects that are undetectable from the outside (e.g., Black Heart, Hollow Heart and browning, bruising, etc.) also contribute significantly. Additionally, internal defects are an important cause of customer complaints resulting in crop rejection adding to direct productivity losses. The development of non-destructive methods for detecting internal defects in intact tubers, and for monitoring their progression, are therefore essential to (i) reduce the risk of damage to tubers due to such defects, (ii) maintain consumer trust in the quality of the crop, and (iii) minimize the reduction in productivity and associated costs to the industry.We have shown that advanced biospectroscopy sensor-based technologies, Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) and Raman spectroscopy, allow the non-invasive and non-destructive analysis of crop quality based upon the spectral fingerprints of crops (e.g. Butler et al, 2015, Anal Methods 7, 4059; Butler et al, 2017, Vib Spectrosc 90, 46; Skolik et al, 2019, Planta 249, 925).This project will adopt a multidisciplinary approach to investigate the hypothesis that biospectroscopy sensor-based approaches offer a solution to the detection of internal defects in intact potato tubers. The studentship will:1. Investigate the alterations in the spectral fingerprint of tubers resulting from internal defects,2. Determine whether different internal defects result in distinct changes in the spectral fingerprint of tubers,3. Identify the molecular mechanisms underpinning the observed changes in spectral fingerprints of two potato varieties with contrasting susceptibilities to internal defects,4. Determine whether internal defect development can be predicted from the spectral fingerprint of asymptomatic intact tubers,5. Assess the potential for biospectroscopy coupled to chemometrics as a diagnostic tool for the autonomous identification of internal potato defects.