Journal of Plant Pathology (2007) 89, S58-S59

M. Russo, F. Grasso, G. Licciardello and V. Catara (2007)
Evaluation of a quantitative real-time PCR assay to monitor Phoma tracheiphila colonization in different citrus hosts
Journal of Plant Pathology 89 (3, Suppl.), S58-S59
Poster Presentation at S.I.Pa.V XIV National Meeting - Perugia, Italy 19-21 Sept. 2007
Abstract: Seedlings of lemon ('Femminello', and 'Lunario'), Mexican lime, 'Hamlin' sweet orange, Troyer citrange, Poncirus trifoliata and sour orange were inoculated with Phoma tracheiphila phialoconidia to evaluate colonization rates in relation to symptom development. Moreover, fungal survival in soil inoculated with phialoconidia was also evaluated. P. tracheiphila DNA was quantified by a real-time PCR assay previously developed with slight modification to the Taq-Man probe labeling. Seedlings of the above-mentioned species were inoculated in the leaves with a water suspension containing 10⁶ phialoconidia ml^-1. Disease development was monitored weekly using an arbitrary scale based on the intensity of leaf symptoms. Fourteen days after inoculation, leaf disks were removed from the inoculation points with a cork borer and DNA was recovered with a commercial DNA extraction kit. P. tracheiphila was quantified by real-time PCR assay in the leaf disks. Threshold cycle values from the assay with unknown samples were plotted against the standard curve and the inferred concentration of the fungus were calculated. Fungal DNA was also detected in the leaves of the citrus species that had not yet developed symptoms. The method was also applied successfully to soil samples.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Vittoria Catara

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.
	Plenodomus tracheiphilus	Citrus (genus)
	Plenodomus tracheiphilus	Poncirus trifoliata