Diagnostic methods for phytopathogenic bacteria of stone fruits and nuts in COST 873.
Janse J. D.
Author Affiliation: Dutch General Inspection Service, Department of Laboratory Methods and Diagnostics, PO Box 115, 8300 BC Emmeloord, Netherlands.
Bulletin OEPP/EPPO Bulletin 40 : 68-85
Abstract : Different diagnostic methods used or developed in the EU-COST2 873 project 'Bacterial diseases of stone fruits and nuts' are presented. The methods concern detection and identification of the plant pathogenic bacteria Xylella fastidiosa (EPPO A1 list), Xanthomonas arboricola pv corylina, X.a. pv. pruni, Pseudomonas syringae pv. persicae (A2 list pathogens), Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Brenneria nigrifluens and B. rubrifaciens, P. amygdali, P. avellanae, P.s. pv. avii, P.s. pv. morsprunorum, P.s. pv. syringae, X.a. pv. juglandis. Furthermore, a recently described xanthomonas species (proposed name X. translucens pv. pistachiae), causing a new disease on pistachio, viz. Pistachio decline, in Australia and the recently renamed Xanthomonas citri pv. mangiferaeindicae on mango are included. The methods range from classical ones such as nutritional tests, use of (semi-)selective media, PCR, fatty acid analysis, serology and pathogenicity tests as well as (more) modern ones such as free flow capillary electrophoresis, real-time PCR, rep-PCR, fAFLP and sequencing of open reading frames (ORFs) and/or housekeeping genes such as gyrB and rpoD. The usefulness of these methods are outlined and reference made to publications where they were successfully used. Development of useful (molecular) tools are also indicated. Whole genome sequencing has been performed for Pantoea agglomerans (a relevant biocontrol agent) by the Swiss laboratory and initiated for X. a. pv. pruni by the French laboratory in cooperation with the Swiss and Italian laboratories and development of a microarray test has been initiated by the Swiss laboratory, Details of meetings and training programmes throughout the region are elaborated.