PCR detection of mal secco (Deuterophoma tracheiphila)
Deuterophoma (Phoma) tracheiphila (EPPO A2 quarantine pest) is a serious disease of citrus which may remain latent in the nursery. So far, reliable diagnostic methods for early detection in plant material were not available. A PCR method has been developed in Italy to detect D. tracheiphila specifically in symptomatic or asymptomatic plant material. The authors stressed that this detection method which is fast and can handle a large number of samples will be particularly useful for certification and quarantine purposes.
Sources
Albanese, G.; Grimaldi, V.; La Rosa, I.; Di Silvestro, I.; Catara, A. (1998) PCR analysis applied to citrus mal secco diagnosis.
Abstract of a paper presented at the 6th SIPaV Annual Meeting, Campobasso (IT), 1998-09-17/18.
Journal of Plant Pathology, 80(3), p 251.