Detection of cabbage yellows fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. conglutinans in soil by PCR and real-time PCR

For the specific detection of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. conglutinans (Foc), we designed a primer set for PCR and a primer–probe set for real-time PCR based on its endopolygalacturonase gene sequence. Using the primer set, we could distinguish Foc from other pathogenic forms and nonpathogenic isolates of F. oxysporum. Moreover, we detected the fungus by real-time PCR using DNA isolated from soil. Sensitivity of real-time PCR was improved 10- to 10,000-fold by adding bovine serum albumin or by performing pre-PCR. Our method can detect Foc in the soil at a density that causes only slight yellows symptom.