Electronic Nose Differentiation between Acorns Infected by Pathogenic Oomycetes and .

Identification of the presence of pathogenic oomycetes in infected plant material proved possible using an electronic nose, giving hope for a tool to assist nurseries and quarantine services. Previously, species of and intermedium have been successfully distinguished in germinated acorns of English oak L. Chemical compound analyses performed by HS-SPME/GC-MS (Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction/Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry) revealed the presence of volatile antifungal molecules produced by oak seedlings belonging to terpenes and alkanes. Compounds characteristic only of or were also found. Methylcarveol occurred when germinated acorns were infected with , while neophytadiene (isomer 2 and 3) occurred only when infected with . Moreover, isopentanol was found in acorns infected with , while in control, isopentyl vinyl ether was not observed anywhere else. Among the numerous volatile compounds, isopentanol only occurred in acorns infected with and methylcarveol in acorns infected with .