Field Asymmetric Ion Mobility Spectrometry for Early Detection of Aphanomyces Root Rot in Peas Using Volatile Biomarkers

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by plants during plant–pathogen interactions can be highly informative for early disease detection. The real-time capability of field asymmetric ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS) offers a valuable opportunity to monitor plant VOCs nondestructively and dynamically. This study evaluated the FAIMS system reliability in measuring VOC profiles for an early diagnosis of Aphanomyces root rot (ARR) in pea (Pisum sativum L.). This evaluation utilized pea lines with a major quantitative trait locus (QTL Ae-Ps7.6) and lines without QTL, identified to provide partial resistance against ARR. For the first time, a VOC biomarker associated with ARR was detected as early as 2 days after inoculation (DAI). Furthermore, at 7 DAI, one of the biomarkers showed significant differences between lines with and without QTL Ae-Ps7.6 in the noninoculated samples. These findings demonstrate the potential applicability of the FAIMS system as a valuable tool for detecting volatile biomarkers for early plant disease detection.