Quick detection of Ascochyta lentis from lentil seeds using Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) based techniques

Abstract

Two Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) specific primers, ASCO1 and ASCO2 were developed for the detection of Ascochyta lentis from infected lentil seeds. PCR amplification with primers ASCO1 and ASCO2 resulted in amplification of an approximately 400bp product with A. lentis and A. rabiei isolates but not with A. fabae and other lentil pathogens viz., Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Stemphylium botryosum and Colletotrichum lindemuthianum. The specific primers were amplified with the whole DNA of the A. lentis infected seeds but not with healthy seeds suggesting that the specific primers will provide a valuable tool for accurate and quick detection of A. lentis in lentil seeds.