Molecular revolution in plant health: Rapid assays for fungal wilt pathogens of subtropical fruits
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Authors
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Muthukumar M
ICAR-Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
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Anju Bajpai
ICAR-Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
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P K Shukla
ICAR-Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
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Israr Ahmad
ICAR-Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
Keywords:
Fusarium detection, Mango wilt, Molecular diagnostics, Next-generation diagnostics PCR-based assaysAbstract
Early generation molecular tools, such as PCR-RFLP, Bio-PCR, and colony PCR, allowed direct pathogen identification but faced challenges of cross-reactivity. Second-generation assays, including multiplex PCR and LAMP-PCR, improved detection efficiency and field applicability. Next-generation diagnostics have leveraged genomic and transcriptomic insights, resulting in highly sensitive qRTPCR, multiplex nested RT-PCR, and comparative genomics-based assays. Notably, unique Ceratocystis fimbriata–specific genes (Cf-PME and Cf-XYL) were identified and developed into a semi-quantitative colony PCR assay, enabling early and precise detection of the mango wilt pathogen directly from infected tissues.
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