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In planta PCR-based detection of early infection of plant-parasitic nematodes in the roots: a step towards the understanding of infection and plant defence

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Abstract

The polyphagous obligate parasites Meloidogyne spp. devastate a wide range of crop plants including bananas and plantains. Their infestations impact agriculture worldwide. Therefore, an effective combating regime against this nematode species and an in-depth understanding of plant-nematode interaction are essential. Early detection of infection by visual inspection is not possible. This hampers early control strategy efforts and makes in-depth research of the early infection and plant defence unfeasible. A simple and robust in planta PCR-based nematode detection method is described here as the first crucial step. This PCR-based detection assay exploits the existence of the Internal Transcribed Spacer 1 (ITS 1) region of the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) gene family in the nematodes for early detection of nematode penetration into the roots. The results demonstrate that this detection assay is suitable to serve as a molecular screening tool for plant root diagnostic purposes.

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Abbreviations

IP:

Infected plant root

N:

Nematode individual

ND:

Nematode DNA

NP:

Nematode mixed with plant roots

NPD:

Nematode and plant DNA

P:

Plant roots

PD:

Plant DNA

TR:

Transformed tomato roots infected with Meloidogyne incognita

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Acknowledgement

This work was supported by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation Malaysia, through the National e-Science Fund 02-01-03-SF0088. We would like to acknowledge University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for funding the first author’s stay in the Laboratory of Tropical Crop Improvement, Leuven, Belgium. We also wish to thank Annemie Elsen, Christine Vos, Els Thiry and Isabelle Henry for their continuous assistance and valuable comments during this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unit of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Syarifah Aisyafaznim Sayed Abdul Rahman, Zulqarnain Mohamed & Rofina Yasmin Othman

  2. Laboratory of Tropical Crop Improvement, Division of Biotechnics, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Catholic University of Leuven (K.U.Leuven), Kasteelpark Arenberg 13, 3001, Leuven, Belgium

    Syarifah Aisyafaznim Sayed Abdul Rahman, Rony Swennen, Bart Panis, Dirk De Waele, Serge Remy & Sebastien Christian Carpentier

  3. Centre for Research in Biotechnology for Agriculture (CEBAR), University of Malaya, Level 5, Block B, IPS Building, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

    Zulqarnain Mohamed & Rofina Yasmin Othman

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  1. Syarifah Aisyafaznim Sayed Abdul Rahman
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  2. Zulqarnain Mohamed
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Correspondence to Syarifah Aisyafaznim Sayed Abdul Rahman or Sebastien Christian Carpentier.

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Sayed Abdul Rahman, S.A., Mohamed, Z., Othman, R.Y. et al. In planta PCR-based detection of early infection of plant-parasitic nematodes in the roots: a step towards the understanding of infection and plant defence. Eur J Plant Pathol 128, 343–351 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-010-9656-3

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