Technology Description:

The invention uses Polymerase Chain reaction (PCR) primers to amplify DNA fragments specific for several species of phytophthora that are pathogenic to potatoes. Phytophthora infestans is a form of the fungal infection "late blight," a devastating potato disease that causes foliar destruction and rotting in storage. Early detection prior to the appearance of visible symptoms enables growers to control it early in the season, or to declare a crop loss later in the season saving harvesting costs. Also, detecting infections in seed lots can prevent certification of infected tubers and permit certification of seed lots by preventing incorrect diagnoses of pink rot, or a related, less serious infection.

Please refer to Patent Number 5,874,221, "Species Specific Method for the PCR Detection of Phytophthora," which issued on February 23, 1999.