Comparative genomics provide a rapid detection of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. conglutinans

Fusarium oxysporum f.sp.conglutinans(Foc)is the causal agent of Fusarium wilt disease of Brassica oleracea.A rapid,accurate,and reliable method to detect and identify plant pathogens is vitally important to integrated disease management.In this study,using a comparative genome analysis among Fusarium oxysporum(Fo),we developed a Foc-specific primer set(Focs-1/Focs-2)and established a multiplex-PCR assay.In the assay,the Focs-1/Focs-2 and universal primers for Fusarium species(W106R/F106S)could be used to detect Foc isolates in a single PCR reaction.With the optimized PCR parameters,the multiplex-PCR assay showed a high specificity for detecting Foc and was very sensitive to detect as little as100 pg of pure Foc genomic DNA or 1 000 spores in 1 g of twice-autoclaved soil.We also demonstrated that Foc isolates were easily detected from infected plant tissues,as well as from natural field soils,using the multiplex-PCR assay.To our knowledge,this is a first report on detection Fo by comparative qenomic method.