A simple, sensitive, and rapid method for detecting seed contaminated with highly virulent Leptosphaeria maculans

A primer-directed DNA amplification polymerase chain reaction assay for detection of seed contaminated with highly virulent Leptosphaeria maculans was developed. The primers were derived from a 5,238-bp repetitive sequence present only in the highly virulent isolates of the fungus. A procedure for isolating DNA from organisms infesting germinating seed was also developed. Seeds were added to liquid fungal minimal medium, and the culture was incubated for 3 days at room temperature with shaking. The organisms were collected from the cultures by centrifugation and lysed with a combination of sodium dodecyl sulfate and proteinase K. The DNA was extracted with organic solvents and with a high-salt-cetyltrimethylammonium bromide solution. It was also precipitated with a low-salt-cetyltrimethylammonium bromide solution. The extensive treatments used for minimizing polysaccharide contamination greatly improved the reliability of the assay. The minimum contamination level (2 of 1,000 seeds) that was tested was successfully detected with this DNA isolation procedure. The reliability of the assay was 96% at the 1 to 2% level of seed contamination. The described method is less laborious and requires only 4 to 5 days for completion in comparison to the 11 to 22 days required for the currently employed methods. In addition, large sample sizes can be easily handled, thus reducing the probability of contaminated seed escaping detection.