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Title: EARLY DETECTION OF ASIAN SOYBEAN RUST USING PCR

Author
item LAMOUR, KURT - UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE
item HABERA, LEDARE - UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE
item SNOVER-CLIFT, KAREN - CORNELL UNIVERSITY
item STACK, JAMES - KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY
item PIERZYNSKI, JOY - KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY
item HAMMERSCHMIDT, RAY - MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
item JACOBS, JANETTE - MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
item BYRNE, JAN - MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
item HARMON, PHILIP - UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
item WISLER, GAIL - UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
item HARMON, CARRIE - UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
item VITORELI, ANNE - UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
item LEVY LAURENE - USDA/APHIS/PPQ/CPHST
item ZELLER, KURT - USDA/APHIS/PPQ/CPHST
item Stone, Christine
item Luster, Douglas - Doug
item Frederick, Reid

Submitted to: Plant Health Progress
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/22/2005
Publication Date: 5/26/2006
Citation: Lamour, K., Habera, L., Snover-Clift, K.L., Stack, J., Pierzynski, J., Hammerschmidt, R., Jacobs, J., Byrne, J., Harmon, P.F., Wisler, G.C., Harmon, C.L., Vitoreli, A.M., Levy Laurene, Zeller, K.A., Stone, C.L., Luster, D.G., Frederick, R.D. 2006. Early detection of asian soybean rust using pcr. Plant Health Progress. DOI: 10.1094/PHP-2006-0524-01-RS.

Interpretive Summary: Asian soybean rust (ASR) is a devastating foliar disease in most soybean growing countries and the disease was found for the first time in the continental U.S., in November 2004. Fungicides are effective in controlling ASR if they are applied soon after outbreak of the disease. Early symptoms of ASR can easily be confused with other diseases, so an accurate diagnosis is required before growers apply fungicides. Previously developed ASR-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays were evaluated at seven (7) Federal and university laboratories using DNA extracted from soybean leaves at various times following infection with ASR. All of the laboratories were able to detect the ASR pathogen in soybean leaves prior to the development of fungal spores using the traditional and real-time PCR assays.

Technical Abstract: Early detection of Asian soybean rust (ASR) can help producers combat this serious disease. Genomic DNA from rust infected plants was tested using two different ASR-specific PCR assays at seven laboratories in the United States. Soybean plants were infected in the BL3 plant pathogen containment greenhouse at Ft. Detrick, MD with three concentrations of rust spores. Plant material was harvested at 7 time points over the course of 12 days. Genomic DNA was extracted using two commercially available kits and tested for ASR using traditional and real-time PCR assays. Soybean rust was detected in leaves extracted six (6) days following inoculation using both the traditional and real-time PCR assays. This study demonstrates the ability to reliably detect ASR in soybean before the development of fungal spore structures currently used in pathogen identification and ASR diagnosis.