Quantitative assessment of phytopathogenic fungi in various substrates using a DNA macroarray

Area of Science:

• Plant pathology
• Molecular diagnostics
• Agricultural science

Background:

• Accurate detection and quantification of plant pathogens are crucial for disease management.
• DNA array technology offers a promising platform for simultaneous detection of multiple pathogens.
• Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification is often necessary for sensitive detection with DNA arrays.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate DNA array technology for simultaneous detection and quantification of multiple plant pathogens.
• To optimize a DNA macroarray for accurate quantification of *Verticillium* species.
• To assess the reliability of DNA array technology compared to real-time PCR for pathogen quantification.

Main Methods:

• Design and optimization of a DNA macroarray for *Verticillium albo-atrum* and *Verticillium dahliae*.
• Quantification of pathogen concentrations using hybridization signals.
• Validation of DNA array technology by correlating results with real-time PCR for multiple tomato pathogens.

Main Results:

• A strong correlation was found between DNA array hybridization signals and pathogen concentrations.
• Accurate quantification of *Verticillium* pathogens was achieved across a three-log range.
• DNA array technology showed a high degree of correlation with real-time PCR for quantifying various tomato pathogens.

Conclusions:

• DNA array technology is a reliable and robust method for simultaneous detection and quantification of multiple plant pathogens.
• The optimized DNA macroarray is suitable for pathogen quantification in horticultural practice.
• This technology provides a valuable tool for plant disease management.