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Quantitative PCR to detect Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici in symptomatic and non-symptomatic wheat roots

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Abstract

The soil-borne ascomycete Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici causes take-all of wheat (Triticum aestivum). Between host crops, G. graminis var. tritici survives saprophytically on crop debris and by infecting susceptible grass weeds or cereal volunteers. Invasion of roots in the following wheat crop results in reduced grain yield and quality. Take-all is commonly assessed in the field by visual inspection. Molecular-based methods are also available to detect G. graminis var. tritici, including a quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay that indirectly measures the amount of pathogen DNA in environmental samples. The qPCR is used as part of a commercial tool (known as PreDicta B™) to predict the risks of take-all in wheat crops prior to planting, which are dependent on the amount of Gaeumannomyces inoculum in field soils. Unfortunately, the costs associated with the PreDicta B™ test can be prohibitive to its use. As a result, in this study, an alternative qPCR assay was developed to measure directly the DNA of G. graminis var. tritici. The assay was shown to detect DNA of G. graminis var. tritici in both symptomatic and non-symptomatic wheat roots, with an increase in the amount of DNA detected having a strong relationship with an increase in take-all symptoms.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Richard Falloon and Simon Bulman for their reviews of the manuscript. This work was funded by New Zealand’s Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment through programme LINX0804.

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Author notes

  1. M. G. Cromey

    Present address: RHS Garden Wisley, Woking, Surrey, GU23 6QB, UK

  2. S. L. Bithell

    Present address: NSW Department of Primary Industries, 4 Marsden Park Rd, Tamworth, NSW, 2340, Australia

  3. S. S. Beard

    Present address: School of Biomedical Research, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation at the Translational Research Institute, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Ltd, Private Bag 4704, Christchurch, New Zealand

    S. Keenan, M. G. Cromey, S. A. Harrow, S. L. Bithell, R. C. Butler, S. S. Beard & A. R. Pitman

  2. The Bio-Protection Research Centre, Lincoln University, PO Box 84, Canterbury, New Zealand

    A. R. Pitman

Authors
  1. S. Keenan
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  2. M. G. Cromey
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  3. S. A. Harrow
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  4. S. L. Bithell
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  5. R. C. Butler
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  6. S. S. Beard
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  7. A. R. Pitman
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. R. Pitman.

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Keenan, S., Cromey, M.G., Harrow, S.A. et al. Quantitative PCR to detect Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici in symptomatic and non-symptomatic wheat roots. Australasian Plant Pathol. 44, 591–597 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13313-015-0379-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13313-015-0379-y

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