03-08-2013, 04:24 PM
Molecular Diagnostics of Plant Pathogens: Recent Advances
ABSTRACT
The early detection and identification of plant pathogens is an integral part of successful disease management. The rapid identification of a plant pathogen, allows for the appropriate control measures to be applied prior to the further spread of the disease or its introduction. Since most plant-based foodstuffs have a finite shelf life, it is imperative that any potentially infected material is diagnosed as rapidly and as reliably as possible, in order to avoid delays and expensive losses to the cash import. Moreover, recent trend for globalization in agriculture created even higher demands in various aspects of plant protection. With the advancement of international commerce that practically cancelled the geographic boarders between countries, legislation set most strict rules concerning movement of plants and plant material. Phytosanitary inspections and quarantine regulations became more stringent demanding increased control measures not only between countries but also within the territories of a certain country. The use of healthy propagation material, the inspection of planting seed for quarantine pathogens, the prevention of spread of a pathogen to another country, the screening of mother plants for certain pathogens, the monitoring of resistance phenotypes of a fungus to certain agrochemicals are among challenges encountered on a routine base. Furthermore, research frontiers have been widened to more detailed and in depth studies of host-parasite interactions, disease resistance, and pathogens population structure. Thus, the development of methods capable to detect and identify pathogens in plant materials in a fast, accurate and sensitive manner has been necessitated more than ever.