As the global population surpasses 8 billion, the challenge of producing sufficient food becomes increasingly pressing. The Netherlands stands as the world's second-largest food exporter, efficiently cultivating a wide variety of crops. However, plant diseases such as downy mildew pose significant threats, potentially spoiling farmers' harvests. Researchers have developed the first-ever method to monitor infections in plants in real-time, without the need to destroy them. This knowledge will aid in breeding new, resistant crops that yield higher outputs while reducing pesticide use. from Latest Science News -- ScienceDaily https://ift.tt/JvIhQFE