Diagnosis of the Infection of Sunflower by Orobanche cumana Using Multicolour Fluorescence imaging

Abstract is an holoparasite and thus totally dependent on sunflower for fixed carbon. Initial stages of the infection occur in the first weeks after sowing and are critical for the establishment of a continuum between the host and the parasite vascular system. From that moment the parasite obtains its supply of water, mineral nutrients, and assimilates from the host plant. Alterations of plant metabolism can be detected using remote sensing techniques for detection of fluorescence emitted by plants. One of these indirect techniques is multicolour fluorescence imaging. In this work, we assessed the early infection of sunflower by