Reading the more detailed document (the second one listed), and not being an expert, it seems to say not that the beetle senses an electrical difference or that there is an electrical component to the detection of fusarium, but that the olfactory sensing of specific chemical molecules (indicative of fusarium) causes an electrical potential change within the antenna.

I don’t see anything really novel in this concept personally, and again, I’m not a subject matter expert, but I believe it is fairly well accepted that even in humans, sensations of touch, light, pressure, olfactory, etc., are then transmitted more or less electrically (and chemically) to the brain or wherever necessary. At least that’s what I recall from High School Biology, EMT,, and two nursing programs.

Perhaps I am missing something. Interesting yes, especially since it can be measured, but I am not sure that linking an instrument, based on the antenna of an insect, which can detect specific chemical molecules, and then induce an electric potential change, can be inferred into implying the potato beetle uses electrical sensing to find its “food”. It is potentially useful in quality control in the potato industry if the cost and accuracy make business sense at some point. And from the point of the producer, other than sorting before sale, does that in some way begin to lead to either masking at-risk plants from beetles, or perhaps even preventing fusarium in the first place?