ADVANCED DISEASE DETECTION AND PREVENTION IN CROPS IS CRITICAL FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE. AMONG THE VARIOUS TYPES OF PATHOGENS THAT ATTACK CROPS, FUNGI ARE THE MOST COMMON AND MOST DEVASTATING FOR CROPS FROM MICHIGAN TO FLORIDA IN THE EAST COAST TO CALIFORNIA, ARIZONA AND MEXICO IN THE WEST. PATHOGENIC FUNGAL INFECTIONS CAUSE NUMEROUS DISEASES SUCH AS WHITE MOLD, GREY MOLD, CROWN ROT, LEAF BLIGHT, FRUIT ROT ETC. IN A VARIETY OF GRAIN, FRUIT AND VEGETABLE CROPS. FOR EXAMPLE, PHYTOPHTHORA CAPSICI ALONE IS KNOWN TO INFECT AS MANY AS 68 CROPS FROM 27 DIFFERENT FAMILIES ACROSS THE U.S.THE INFECTIONS OCCUR AT MULTIPLE SITES IN CROPS (I.E. ROOT, LEAF, STEM, FRUIT) DURING GROWTH OR AFTER HARVEST, I.E., WHEN PRODUCE IS BEING STORED OR TRANSPORTED. IF NOT CONTROLLED EARLY, THESE INFECTIONS SPREAD QUICKLY BY WIND, CONTACT OR SPLASHING WATER AND CAUSE DEVASTATING ECONOMIC LOSS. ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT OF FRUITS MAY BE CHALLENGING, AS FRUITS ARE EXPOSED TO FUNGAL INOCULUM FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME AND HENCE MULTIPLE FUNGICIDE APPLICATIONS ARE NECESSARY TO PROTECT THE FRUITS. DUE TO THE LACK OF EARLY-DETECTION TECHNOLOGY, THE FUNGICIDE APPLICATION MAY COME LATE AND PROVE INEFFECTIVE.FREQUENTLY THESE CROPS ARE SOLD THROUGH MASS DISTRIBUTION WELL BEFORE THE INFECTIONS ARE KNOWN. THEREFORE AN EARLY DETECTION OF PATHOGEN INFECTIONS COULD HELP GROWERS CONTAIN THE INFECTION, SPRAY ONLY WHEN NEEDED AND MINIMIZE ECONOMICAL LOSSES.A RELIABLE, EASY-TO-USE SENSING TECHNOLOGY FOR DETECTING PATHOGEN INFECTIONS THROUGH VOLATILE PROFILING AT EARLY STAGES OF DISEASE WILL ALERT THE FARMERS TO TAKE PREVENTIVE AND CONTROL MEASURES TO CONTAIN THE INFECTION AND AVOID MASSIVE DAMAGE. TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, CURRENTLY THERE IS NO SENSOR COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE FOR A RAPID REAL-TIME ASSESSMENT OF HEALTH IN CROPS. IN THSI PROJECT, WE PROPOSE TO DEVELOP SENSORS HIGHLY SELECTIVE, RELIABLE, EARLY AND NON-INVASIVE DETECTION OFPATHOGEN INFECTIONS IN AGRICULTURAL CROPS. THIS WILL INCREASE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY, MINIMIZE SPRAYING, PROVIDE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS AND IMPROVE FOOD QUALITY.