An Over View of Conventional and Molecular Detection Methods of Seed-Borne Bacterial Pathogens

Tibebu Belete

Abstract

The detection of pathogenic seed borne bacterial pathogens is an important aspect of disease management. Presence of diseased seeds in seed-lots cannot be reliably detected by visual examination. Radiographic assays of seeds provide an efficient, non-destructive method to determine internal seed damage. However, with advances in molecular techniques, emphasis in bacterial identification and taxonomy has changed from conventional approach to a more molecular approach. DNA analysis techniques such as the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Random Amplified Polymorphic (RAP) analysis are the most commonly used tools. Nucleic acid extraction is still necessary in many cases and in practice inhibition problems are decreasing the theoretically sensitivity of molecular detection. Overall, molecular techniques based on PCR amplification and very especially on real-time PCR are leading to high throughput, more rapidly and more accurate detection methods for the most severe seed borne bacterial pathogens