Sensitive PCR Detection of Meloidogyne arenaria, M. incognita, and M. javanica Extracted from Soil
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 25, 2026
On-Site Molecular Detection of Soil-Borne Phytopathogens Using a Portable Real-Time PCR System
Published on: February 23, 2018
Jinya Jack Qiu1, Becky B Westerdahl, Cindy Anderson
1Department of Nematology, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616.
Abstract:
We have developed a simple PCR assay protocol for detection of the root-knot nematode (RKN) species Meloidogyne arenaria, M. incognita, and M. javanica extracted from soil. Nematodes are extracted from soil using Baermann funnels and centrifugal flotation. The nematode-containing fraction is then digested with proteinase K, and a PCR assay is carried out with primers specific for this group of RKN and with universal primers spanning the ITS of rRNA genes. The presence of RKN J2 can be detected among large numbers of other plant-parasitic and free-living nematodes. The procedure was tested with several soil types and crops from different locations and was found to be sensitive and accurate. Analysis of unknowns and spiked soil samples indicated that detection sensitivity was the same as or higher than by microscopic examination.
