Detection of fungal infestation in citrus fruits using hyperspectral imaging

Abstract

Early fungi infection detection is especially important in citrus packinghouses because a few infected fruits can disseminate the infection to a whole batch, causing great economic loses and affecting further operations. Penicillium digitatum sp. produces the most important postharvest damages in citrus packinghouses. Nowadays, detection of this problem in the packing lines is carried out visually and fruits are removed manually. Rottenness causes damages in the skin of the fruit that are very difficult to detect in the early stages using visible lighting.