Species-specific detection of Bipolaris sorokiniana from wheat and barley tissues

Cochliobolus sativus (anamorph: Bipolaris sorokiniana) is a fungal pathogen that can cause yield limiting diseases of barley and wheat. A PCR-based diagnostic assay was developed to detect B. sorokiniana in barley and wheat tissues using the pathogen-specific primers COSA_F/R derived from the melanin biosynthesis pathway Brn1 locus. Specificity was tested against more than 30 fungal organisms associated with barley and wheat. Limit of detection was determined to be 0.001 ng for pure fungal DNA. The species-specific primers were capable of detecting the pathogen in planta, specifically from infected barley leaves and wheat roots and stem bases.