Abstract:
Objective An efficient and rapid detection method was developed to monitor the spread of a newly discovered bacterial canker disease infected by Xanthomonas perforans that seriously impacted the production of water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica), a recently introduced and increasingly important cash crop in southern China.
Method Two pairs of primers were designed to detect X. perforans based on the specific sequences in the genomes including TC2-1_002562 and TC2-1_002580, which encode a phage terminator large subunit family protein and a phage family protein, respectively. The applicability of the proposed methodology with a single PCR reaction was verified.
Result The newly developed PCR method exhibited a high specificity for detecting X. perforans. In the first sampling batch of water spinach plants, planting soils, and water collected from regions in Guangdong Province, the pathogen was only detected in 5 specimens of water spinach leaves from Dongguan. However, during the subsequent second sampling 10 days later, the pathogen was found in numerous specimens from all sources.
Conclusion The established PCR method could rapidly detect X. perforans for early disease diagnosis on water spinach. As the field monitoring indicated, the endemic was prevalent in Dongguan and Shenzhen, possibly some other localities, but spreading fast. The origin of the infection might come from the stored water spinach seedlings and/or seeds. The area water and soil could also link to the spread of the disease. Urgent study to timely develop effective prevention and control measures is in order.
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