Department of Computational and Data Sciences
Department Seminar
Speaker : Dr. Febina Mathew, Associate Professor, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA
Title : Hyperspectral Imaging for Early Detection of Plant Stress in Soybean
Date & Time: May 28th, 2026 (Thursday), 04:00 PM
Venue : # 102, CDS Seminar Hall
ABSTRACT:
Sudden death syndrome (SDS) is one of the diseases affecting soybean (Glycine max L.) production worldwide and can lead to severe yield losses. The pathogen infects soybean roots under wet soil conditions, but plants often remain visually healthy during the initial stages of infection. Visible leaf symptoms generally appear much later in the growing season, making timely diagnosis difficult using conventional scouting methods. This study explored the use of hyperspectral imaging for detecting early physiological changes associated with SDS before visible symptoms develop. Three soybean genotypes were evaluated under controlled growth chamber conditions (23 ± 1 °C with a 16 h photoperiod). The potting mix was inoculated with the fungus, F. virguliforme, and soybean seeds were planted under controlled moisture conditions to promote disease development. Hyperspectral images of soybean leaves were collected 12 and 23 days after planting using a Specim IQ hyperspectral camera. The infected plants showed differences in spectral reflectance compared to healthy controls, particularly in the visible, red-edge, and near-infrared wavelength regions. Increased reflectance in the visible range is associated with reduced chlorophyll absorption, while shifts in the red-edge region suggest physiological stress responses occurring before visible disease symptoms appear. These findings demonstrate that hyperspectral sensing can capture changes in plants during the early stages of pathogen infection. The study highlights the potential of hyperspectral imaging for plant disease diagnosis, enabling engineers and researchers to develop automated sensing systems for crop stress identification before symptoms are visible to the human eye.
BIO:
Dr. Febina Mathew is a Plant Pathologist and an Associate Professor with the Department of Plant Pathology, Microbiology, and Biotechnology at North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA. She earned a B.Tech. in Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India, followed by an M.S. in Plant Pathology and a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology from North Dakota State University.
Dr. Mathew has received numerous honors and awards recognizing excellence in research, teaching, communication, and professional service. These include the APS Certificate of Achievement for International Plant Pathology Research, Early Career Award from the American Phytopathological Society North Central Division, the APS Schroth Faces of the Future Award (2017), the Innovation in Teaching Award from NDSU, and multiple team awards for national and international contributions in plant pathology and agricultural communication.
Her research program focuses on the biology of soybean pathogens and Phomopsis stem canker of sunflower, with an emphasis on understanding host–pathogen interactions and developing effective disease management strategies.
Host Faculty: Prof. Debnath Pal
ALL ARE WELCOME
