Journal of Plant Pathology (2003) 85, 309-310

G. Campanile, L. Schena and N. Luisi (2003)
Polymerase chain reaction identification of Phellinus torulosus
Journal of Plant Pathology 85 (4), 309-310
X Meeting, Italian Society for Plant Pathology (poster)
Abstract: Phellinus torulosus (Pers.) Bourd. et Galz. is the causal agent of the white alveolar wood decay found on several species of trees including a large number of forest trees. Immediate detection of the fungus is essential to identify the diseased trees before it spreads to healthy plants. However, current detection methods based on isolation from infected tissues on semi-selective media are laborious, time consuming (20-30 days), and require skilled expertise to identify the pathogen after isolation. These constraints have encouraged the search for rapid and reliable alternative approaches. In the present study a molecular method based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been developed. The internal transcribed spacer (ITS1 and ITS2) regions were amplified from 10 different P. torulosus morphotypes using the universal primers ITS1 to ITS4. Nucleotide sequences were identical in all isolates. ITS1 and ITS2 DNA sequences of P. torulosus were analysed using of BLAST (basic local alignment search tool) to exclude the presence of identical sequences in other microrganisms among available DNA databases (GenBank). Similar sequences from different fungi were aligned using the "Clustalw" software (EMBL, European Bioinformatics Institute) and screened for differences to design specific primers around sequences unique to P. torulosus. In particular, two primer pairs amplifying unique DNA fragments of 150 bp (Pt1 and Pt2) and 450 bp (Pt3 and Pt4) confirmed to be specific for P. torulosus when tested against a large number of other fungal isolates from different hosts and geographic areas. The short DNA fragment amplified with the primer Pt1 and Pt2 is suitable for developing a real-time detection system.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Leonardo Schena

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
identification/taxonomy
surveys/sampling/distribution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Fuscoporia torulosa