A New Era in Federal Quarantine and State Certification Diagnostics at Clean Plant Centers in the USA

Maher Al Rwahnih ^1,2,3, Vicki Klaassen ⁴, Teresa Erickson ⁵

⁰UC Davis, Dept. of Plant Pathology, Davis, California, United States.

Plant Disease +

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December 6, 2024

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

High throughput sequencing (HTS) now reliably replaces older biological assays for detecting plant pathogens. This advancement accelerates the availability of clean plant materials for agriculture, reducing costs and improving pathogen detection.

Area Of Science

Plant Pathology
Agricultural Science
Molecular Diagnostics

Background

Quarantine and certification programs are crucial for preventing the spread of plant pests and pathogens.
Traditional methods for identifying pathogen-free source material include biological assays and PCR testing.
Existing methods require validation for accuracy, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.

Purpose Of The Study

To review the role of clean plant centers in agricultural quarantine and certification.
To evaluate High Throughput Sequencing (HTS) as a replacement for biological assays in pathogen screening.
To assess the impact of HTS adoption on plant material release and pathogen detection.

Main Methods

Side-by-side comparison of HTS and biological assays for grapevine, Prunus, and rose cultivars.
Intra- and inter-laboratory validation of an HTS protocol for pathogen screening.
Evaluation of a new protocol requiring two timepoint testing with a dormancy period.

Main Results

High throughput sequencing (HTS) demonstrated greater accuracy and efficiency than biological assays.
USDA-APHIS and state agencies accepted HTS and quantitative PCR (qPCR) for new source material testing in 2021.
The new protocol, completed in 18-24 months, facilitates quicker release of pathogen-tested plant material.

Conclusions

HTS is a reliable, cost-effective diagnostic method for plant pathogen screening.
The adoption of HTS significantly improves quarantine and certification programs.
This advancement provides stakeholders with faster access to clean propagating materials and enhances pathogen discovery.

Keywords:

clean plant center diagnostics high throughput sequencing quarantine viruses