Belgium investigates smart detection of chicory leaf miner attack

The chicory leaf miner is the most important pest in chicory cultivation. The larvae can attack the growing point of the root on land or migrate to the leaf collar and root neck during late summer. Affected growing points mean that no or a misshapen crop is formed when chicory is pulled. Larvae elsewhere in the root migrate to the crop in migration, leaving behind visible mining tunnels. This makes the heads unsaleable. Today it is impossible to distinguish the affected chicory roots. This makes yield losses unavoidable. Internal quality inspection The X-ray based technologies have emerged in recent years for the internal quality inspection of food products. The differences in density between damage caused by chicory leafminer larvae and healthy root tissue may offer opportunities to identify affected chicory roots, says Praktijkpunt Landbouw Vlaams-Brabant. According to the research center, the technique has already proven itself in other crops, such as top fruit. 'In order to be ...