AUTHOR=Cao Lingxue , Shi Kailin , Liu Yongyi , Xie Xiaonan , Sun Xizhe , Dong Wentong , Wang Congya , Ma Lisong 

TITLE=Identification of specific genes as molecular markers for rapid and accurate detection of oil-tea Camellia anthracnose pathogen Colletotrichum fructicola in China

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=15

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2024.1442922

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2024.1442922

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Introduction</title><p><italic>Camellia</italic> anthracnose is caused by multiple <italic>Colletotrichum</italic> species, resulting in severe yield losses of oil-tea <italic>Camellia</italic>. <italic>Colletotrichum fructicola</italic> is one of the major anthracnose pathogens of oil-tea <italic>Camellia</italic> worldwide. However, developing unique molecular markers for the rapid and accurate detection of <italic>Colletotrichum fructicola</italic> from diverse <italic>Colletotrichum</italic> species, as well as early monitoring and effective control of the disease, remains largely unexplored.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p><italic>C. fructicola</italic>-specific genes were obtained using a BLAST search of the sequences of predicted genes in <italic>C. fructicola</italic> against the genome sequences of <italic>Colletotrichum</italic> fungal pathogens. In this study, <italic>Colletotrichum fructicola</italic>-specific molecular markers were developed for rapid and accurate detection of <italic>C. fructicola</italic> among <italic>Camellia</italic> anthracnose causing fungal pathogens.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>Using genomic DNA-based end-point PCR and qPCR, three <italic>C. fructicola</italic>-specific genes with the ability to distinguish <italic>C. fructicola</italic> from other oil-tea <italic>Camellia</italic> anthracnose-related <italic>Colletotrichum</italic> species, including <italic>Colletotrichum camelliae, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides</italic>, and <italic>Colletotrichum siamense</italic>, and oil-tea <italic>Camellia</italic> fungal pathogens belonging to the genus <italic>Neopestalotiopsis, Pestalotiopsis</italic>, and <italic>Alternaria</italic>, were validated as molecular markers. In addition, these three molecular markers were highly sensitive to detecting <italic>C. fructicola</italic> using DNA extracted from the inoculated leaves of oil-tea <italic>Camellia</italic>.</p></sec><sec><title>Discussion</title><p>These findings enable us to rapidly and uniquely detect the <italic>Camellia</italic> anthracnose disease caused by <italic>Colletotrichum fructicola</italic>, which will equip farmers with an effective tool for monitoring <italic>Camellia</italic> anthracnose disease in the field and taking timely control measurements in advance.</p></sec>