On 16 May 96 at 22:35, James Miller wrote:
>> I am interested in gathering information about commercial molecular
> diagnostics for plant pathogens.
> As I understand there are many people researching and using molecular
> diagnostics for plant pathogens around the world (specifically PCR
> tests, dot blots, nucleic-acid based tests).
> However, not many of these tests have been successfully integrated
> into commercial services.
> Is this indeed the case, and does anybody know of molecular tests for
> plant pathogens that are currently being used in commercial
> situations?
A bit of a potato centric answer for you I'm afraid:
I know of one company in the UK that uses dot blots to detect potato
viruses in tubers. We (Scottish Agricultural Science Agency) use dot blots
to detect potato spindle tuber viroid in potato plants received in our
quarantine facility.
PCR is routinely used in the EC for testing for Pseudomonas
solanacearum (Brown Rot of potatoes) and Clavibacter michiganensis
subsp. sepedonicus (Ring Rot of potatoes).
There are also PCR-based tests for potato cyst nematode
identification that are coming into routine use.
If you get any replies by email, please repost the information here
as this is a subject of interest to many of us.
Hope this is helpful.
Kevin
Dr Kevin O'Donnell "I'm happy, I'm happy
Diagnostics and Molecular Biology and I'll punch the man that says I'm not"
SASA - Ivor Cutler
Edinburgh
