High-throughput identification and diagnostics of pathogens and pests: Overview and practical recommendations

Area of Science:

• Microbial Ecology
• Agricultural Science
• Forestry

Background:

• High-throughput identification technologies offer efficient microbial ecology insights.
• These methods are underutilized for plant pathogens and pests, crucial for agriculture and forestry.
• Understanding pathogen and pest population dynamics is vital for ecosystem health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review state-of-the-art high-throughput methods for microbial identification and quantification.
• To focus on pathogens, viruses, and pests affecting plants in ecological contexts.
• To provide practical recommendations for protocols and primers for various microbial groups and pests.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature review of high-throughput sequencing and molecular identification techniques.
• Compilation of existing protocols and primer information for bacteria, fungi, oomycetes, and insect pests.
• Exploration of novel methods from other microbiological fields applicable to plant pathology.

Main Results:

• Overview of current high-throughput quantification and molecular identification methods.
• Recommendations for specific protocols and primers for diverse plant pathogens and pests.
• Identification of novel methods with potential for ecological and pathological research.

Conclusions:

• High-throughput technologies are powerful tools for studying plant pathogen and pest ecology.
• Standardized protocols and primer sets can enhance research in diagnostics and population/community ecology.
• Future research should leverage these evolving methods for improved agricultural and forestry management.