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Black Sigatoka disease: new technologies to strengthen eradication strategies in Australia

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Henderson, J., Pattemore, J.A., Porchun, S.C., Hayden, H.L., van Brunschot, S., Grice, K. R.E., Peterson, R.A., Thomas-Hall, S.R. and Aitken, E.A.B. (2006) Black Sigatoka disease: new technologies to strengthen eradication strategies in Australia. Australasian Plant Pathology, 35 (2). pp. 181-193.

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Article Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/AP06017

Publisher URL: http://www.publish.csiro.au

Abstract

In 2001, an incursion of Mycosphaerella fijiensis, the causal agent of black Sigatoka, was detected in Australia's largest commercial banana growing region, the Tully Banana Production Area in North Queensland. An intensive surveillance and eradication campaign was undertaken which resulted in the reinstatement of the disease-free status for black Sigatoka in 2005. This was the first time black Sigatoka had ever been eradicated from commercial plantations. The success of the eradication campaign was testament to good working relationships between scientists, growers, crop monitors, quarantine regulatory bodies and industry. A key contributing factor to the success was the deployment of a PCR-based molecular diagnostic assay, developed by the Cooperative Research Centre for Tropical Plant Protection (CRCTPP). This assay complemented morphological identification and allowed high throughput diagnosis of samples facilitating rapid decision-making during the eradication campaign. This paper describes the development and successful deployment of molecular diagnostics for black Sigatoka. Shortcomings in the gel-based assay are discussed and the advantages of highly specific real-time PCR assays, capable of differentiating between Mycosphaerella fijiensis, Mycosphaerella musicola and Mycosphaerella eumusae are outlined. Real-time assays may provide a powerful diagnostic tool for applications in surveillance, disease forecasting and resistance testing for Sigatoka leaf spot diseases.

Item Type:Article
Corporate Creators:Plant Science
Business groups:Biosecurity Queensland, Horticulture and Forestry Science
Additional Information:Reproduced with permission from © CSIRO Publishing. Access to published version may be available via Publisher’s website.
Keywords:Bananas; Mycosphaerella fijiensis; leaf streak disease; genetic structure; var difformis; causal agent; continental scale; PCR; musicola; spot; quantification.
Subjects:Plant pests and diseases > Pest control and treatment of diseases. Plant protection
Science > Biology > Molecular Biology
Plant pests and diseases > Individual or types of plants or trees > Bananas
Live Archive:02 Feb 2009 02:32
Last Modified:09 Dec 2022 03:34

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