Early Detection of Plant Pathogens in the Asymptomatic Phase: A Scoping Review of Hyperspectral Imaging Combined with Machine Learning

• First PRISMA-ScR mapping of 79 HSI-ML asymptomatic detection studies (42 species, 74 pathogens) • Controlled-to-field accuracy gap quantified: 91.4% vs. 86.3% (5.1 pp, p = 0.0163 ) • 56.8% of studies omit temporal sampling documentation (CV = 139%) • SWIR underutilization (11.8%) reflects economic, not scientific, barriers • DBVS proposed as standardized temporal metric for cross-study comparability Plant disease management requires non-invasive detection methods capable of identifying infections before visible symptom manifestation, thereby enabling timely intervention. Hyperspectral imaging combined with machine learning and deep learning (HSI-ML) achieves 90.2% classification accuracy in controlled environments for asymptomatic plant detection; however, systematic characterization of methodological practices across this rapidly expanding field remains absent. This PRISMA-ScR compliant scoping review mapped 79 peer-reviewed studies (2010–2025) encompassing 42 plant species and 74 pathogenic agents using a Population-Concept-Context framework. Visible-near-infrared (VNIR) systems dominated deployment (61.8%, n = 49 ), while short-wave infrared (SWIR) systems remained substantially underutilized (11.8%, n = 9 ) due primarily to economic rather than scientific constraints. Among 67 unique algorithms identified, machine learning methods accounted for 30.7% (SVM, random forests, and PLS-DA predominant), whereas deep learning represented 28.4% (2D-CNN, 3D-CNN, and hybrid architectures). Critical methodological gaps emerged: 56.8% of studies omitted temporal sampling documentation (detection latency range: 1–56 days post-inoculation; coefficient of variation = 139%). Platform-stratified analysis revealed controlled environments achieved 91.4% ± 6.6% classification accuracy ( n = 48 ) versus 86.3% ± 9.1% for field/UAV deployments ( n = 26 ), representing a significant 5.1 percentage-point performance decrease ( p = 0.0163 ). Detection accuracy exhibited a weak negative correlation with detection timing ( ρ = − 0.33 , p = 0.067 ), though this association did not reach conventional statistical significance. Methodological heterogeneity—rather than algorithmic limitations—constitutes the primary barrier to field operationalization. Adoption of Days Before Visible Symptoms (DBVS) as a standardized temporal metric could resolve an estimated 40–50% of cross-study variance currently attributed to inconsistent asymptomatic-phase definitions.