Utilisation of immunochemical methods for detection of Colletotrichum spp. in strawberry

Abstract

Four polyclonal and two monoclonal antibodies were prepared and tested to detect a quarantine pathogen of strawberry - Colletotrichum acutatum. Only one of them, polyclonal IgG K91, was sensitive enough to recognize the pathogen. This antibody was genus-specific and did not cross-react with several other fungal pathogens of strawberry (Phytophthora fragariae, P. cactorum, Verticillium albo-atrum, Botrytis cinerea, Pythium ultimum). Four techniques, PTA-ELISA, dot blot, immunoprint and immunofluorescent microscopy were used to test the specifity and sensitivity of antibodies. After artificial infection of strawberry (cvs Elsanta, Vanda, and Kama), Colletotrichum acutatum was detected by PTA-ELISA, dot blot and immunoprint in roots, crowns, petioles and fruits in the latent stage of the disease. For reliable detection in the latent stage it is recommended to use at least two of the mentioned techniques.

Keywords

• colletotrichum acutatum
• strawberry
• pathogenicity
• polyclonal antibodies
• monoclonal antibodies
• pta-elisa
• immunoprint
• dot blot
• immunofluorescent microscopy