Development of a PCR-Based Method for Identification of Tilletia indicia, Causal Agent of Karnal Bunt of Wheat

Currently the U.S. is free of Karnal Bunt caused by Titelletia indicia so movement of wheat into the U.S. and other Karnal bunt-free countries is the subject of strict quarantine regulations, but a major problem encountered with identification of T. indica contaminated wheat is that other similar smut pathogen producers which are mophologically similar are not quarantined. Also, wheat contaminated by handling equipment may have a very low level of contamination which is not easily detectable by current isozyme analysis methods. The invention relates to oligonucleotide primers for distinguishing T. indica from T. Barclayana by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). These parameters amplify DNA fragments unique to T. indica and the parameters may be incorporated into kits for detecting T. indica.

Please refer to Patent Number 5,811,240, "Species-Specific Mitochondrial Sequences for Identification of Tilletia Indica, the Karnal Bunt Wheat Fungus and Methods of Using Said Sequences," which issued on September 22, 1998.