Fraunhofer’s PhenoTruckAI Project Enables Rapid On-Site Identification of Quarantine Pests in Agriculture

© Fraunhofer IFF
Pests that spread as a result of climate change pose a threat to viticulture in Germany.

(IN BRIEF) Fraunhofer researchers, together with agricultural partners, have developed the PhenoTruck®, a mobile laboratory designed to enable rapid, on-site detection of climate-driven pests threatening fruit farming and viticulture in Germany. By combining drone-based sensing, hyperspectral imaging, artificial intelligence, and molecular diagnostics, the system significantly accelerates the identification of quarantine pests and plant diseases directly in the field. Initial trials in German and Italian wine-growing regions demonstrate high detection accuracy and faster confirmation compared with traditional methods. The PhenoTruckAI project aims to support early intervention, protect crops, and reduce the spread of harmful organisms in agriculture.

(PRESS RELEASE) MUNICH, 6-Jan-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Fraunhofer researchers are addressing the growing threat posed by climate-driven plant pests to fruit farming and viticulture in Germany by developing advanced methods for early, on-site detection of infestations. Working with agricultural and research partners, the team has created a highly mobile diagnostic platform that enables rapid identification of harmful organisms directly in vineyards and orchards, allowing countermeasures to be taken at a much earlier stage.

At the heart of this approach is the PhenoTruck®, a mobile laboratory developed within the PhenoTruckAI project. The platform combines drone-based multispectral sensing, hyperspectral imaging, artificial intelligence, and molecular biological testing to analyze disease symptoms quickly and reliably in the field. The system is designed to detect infestations in grapevines as well as apricot, apple, and pear trees, where quarantine pests can cause severe economic damage and require immediate reporting to prevent further spread.

© Fraunhofer IFF
Symptomatic leaves are analyzed in the PhenoTruck® using hyperspectral cameras that rapidly detect and localize suspicious leaf discoloration.

Climate change and global trade have increased the risk of non-native pests entering Germany, with quarantine pests posing a particularly serious threat to viticulture and fruit production. Traditional inspection methods rely on labor-intensive visual assessments and laboratory confirmation, often delaying diagnosis. By contrast, the PhenoTruck® enables comprehensive diagnostics exactly where growers need it — on site — significantly accelerating the identification process.

Initial trials have already been conducted in wine-growing regions in Rhineland-Palatinate and Italy, focusing on grapevine diseases such as Flavescence dorée (FD), Palatinate grapevine yellows (PGY), and Bois noir (BN). The mobile lab is also used to analyze widespread diseases in fruit trees, including apple proliferation and pear decline, which can result in substantial crop losses if not detected early.

The diagnostic workflow integrates multiple technologies. Drones equipped with multispectral sensors are first deployed to monitor large cultivation areas and identify potentially affected zones. Suspicious areas are documented using a dedicated field assessment app. Leaves showing symptoms are then examined in the PhenoTruck® using hyperspectral cameras capable of detecting subtle discolorations invisible to the naked eye. Artificial intelligence models analyze the data with high reliability, achieving detection accuracy rates of up to 99 percent and distinguishing between different phytoplasma diseases that exhibit similar symptoms but vary in their risk profile.

© Fraunhofer IFF
The PhenoTruck® enables fast and reliable identification of harmful organisms directly on site.

To confirm suspected cases, molecular biological testing is performed directly inside the mobile lab. A rapid LAMP test, developed specifically for field use, delivers results within about an hour, enabling faster decision-making than conventional laboratory-based PCR methods. The combination of AI-supported preselection and on-site molecular confirmation dramatically reduces the time required to identify quarantine pests.

The PhenoTruckAI project is a collaborative effort involving Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation IFF, Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering IBMT, and agricultural partner DLR Rheinland-Pfalz (formerly RLP AgroScience). Funded by the German Federal Ministry for Food and Agriculture and supported by the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food, the project runs from September 2021 to September 2025 and is expected to provide a foundation for future research and development in plant health diagnostics.

Project PhenoTruck^AI  

Mobile lab for the rapid and reliable identification of quarantine pests in agriculture

Project duration:
September 2021–September 2025

Project and collaboration partners:
• RLP AgroScience, now DLR Rheinland-Pfalz (project coordination, visual and molecular pathogen diagnostics)
• Fraunhofer IBMT (implementation of the PhenoTruck^®)
• Fraunhofer IFF (AI-based analysis and evaluation of hyperspectral data, drone data analysis and development of a field assessment app)

Project funded by:
German Federal Ministry for Food and Agriculture

Project sponsor:
German Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE)

Media contacts:

Anita Fricke
Head of PR and Communications
Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation IFF
Sandtorstr. 22
39106 Magdeburg, Germany
Phone +49 391 4090-485
anita.fricke@iff.fraunhofer.de

Dipl.-Phys. Annette Maurer-von der Gathen
Press and Public Relations
Fraunhofer Institute for Biomedical Engineering IBMT
Joseph-von-Fraunhofer-Weg 1
66280 Sulzbach, Germany
Phone +49 6897 9071-102
Fax +49 6897 9071-188
annette.maurer-von.der.gathen@ibmt.fraunhofer.de
www.ibmt.fraunhofer.de

SOURCE: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft