Using a Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) Assay and Direct DNA Extraction Method from Wood for Rapid Detection of Verticillium dahliae in Olive Trees

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Verticillium wilt, which is caused by the fungus Verticillium dahliae, is one of the most important olive diseases worldwide. There are many ways to extract DNA from plant pathogenic fungi and from plant tissues for molecular-based diagnostic assays. LAMP is a new and sensitive molecular-based technique used for detection of plant pathogenic agents with minimum requirements needed. In this study, we tried to achieve a simple, cost effective and efficient method of DNA extraction from both Verticillium dahliae fungus and from infected wood samples in order to run a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay. Efficiency of three DNA isolation methods from both mycelia and infected wood samples was evaluated. For this purpose, wood samples from infected olive trees were collected from Tarom region in Zanjan province and the samples were cultured on the media. The fungus was isolated and identified as V. dahliae based on morphological features. Then the genomic DNA was extracted using traditional CTAB method, fast NaOH method and direct isolation method from infected wood samples. After assessment of the quality and the quantity of the extracted DNA samples, a LAMP assay was ran using specific primer pairs and the DNA templates extracted using three different methods. In spite of the significant differences in the quantity of DNA samples, LAMP assay could successfully detect the fungus in all samples. The improved direct isolation of the DNA of V. dahlia from infected wood, followed by a LAMP assay could considerably shortened the detection process of the fungus and hence is a suitable method for screening of olive trees and saplings against Verticillium wilt disease.