A PROPOSED NEW STANDARD PROTOCOL FOR DIAGNOSIS OF XYLELLA FASTIDIOSA

• Author(s): Civerolo, Ed; Francis, Marta; Bruening, George; Doddapaneni, Harshavardhan; Lin, Hong;
• Abstract: The Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) adopted recommendations on the publication of International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM). This guideline produces standardized documents describing procedures and methods for the detection and identification of pests of quarantine significance. The documents are reviewed by a panel of experts which also includes members from the regional plant protection organizations (i.e. NAPPO, EPPO, COSAVE, etc). These protocols describe procedures and methods for detection and identification of pests that are regulated by contracting parties and relevant for international trade. These are addressed to diagnosticians/diagnostic laboratories performing official tests as part of phytosanitary measures and provide reliable diagnostic protocol(s) for relevant pests. There is a need to develop the protocol for detection of Xylella fastidosa (Xf) in several hosts. We drafted such a document for Xf detection in 2005. Here we propose to update that protocol in the light of recently developed Xf diagnostic procedures and genomics data. The proposed protocol also includes the recently developed bioassay for Xf in the model plant Nicotiana tabacum cv. SR-1. This highly sensitive host is an excellent indicator plant to test the pathogenicity of Pierces disease and almond leaf scorch disease strains of Xf. The procedure includes the use of in vitro-propagated tobacco plants grown in controlled environment (i.e., light and temperature) room. The SR-1 plants are grown in small pots to reduce space requirements, and symptoms appear in only 6-8 weeks. Xf strains from different plant hosts induce distinct symptoms in SR-1 tobacco. The protocol is applicable for disease surveys, and for quarantine and certification programs.
• Publication Date: Nov 2006
• Journal: 2006 Pierce's Disease Research Symposium