Detection of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in Planta by a Real-time PCR Assay

Stem rot caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a very serious disease on oilseed rape worldwide. In this study, a pair of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers was designed based on the nucleotide sequence of a DNA region amplified by a microsatellite primer M13. The primer pair amplified a 252-bp fragment from all S. sclerotiorum isolates collected from oilseed rapes at different locations in different years, but not from any other fungus tested. Using this pair of primers, a real-time PCR assay was developed to rapidly detect early infection of S. sclerotiorum on petals of oilseed rape. The real-time PCR assay developed in this study could help growers make a timely decision on fungicide application.