USE OF SSU RDNA GROUP-I INTRON TO DISTINGUISH MONILINIA-FRUCTICOLA FROM M-LAXA AND M-FRUCTIGENA

Monilinia fructicola, M. laxa and M. fructigena are the causal agents of brown rot of pome and stone fruits. M. fructicola is not present in Europe and is classed as a quarantine pathogen in EU countries. A 418 -bp group-I intron has been located in the small subunit (SSU) rDNA ge ne of M. fructicola which is absent from M. laxa and M. fructigena. PC R primers specific to the 3'-region of the intron together with the SS U rDNA primer NS5 were able to amplify a 444-bp product from M. fructi cola and fruit tissue infected with M. fructicola but not from the oth er two species. This allows for the rapid and sensitive detection of t his pathogen in planta.