LAUSR

Fire blight, caused by the bacterial pathogen Erwinia amylovora, is a highly destructive disease of apples and pears, Since the apple tree entity infected by E. amylovora eventually systemically dies, the E. amylovora is a considerably important pathogen in the orchard that requires long-term management. And, it is crucial to prevent the spread of the pathogen by expeditious diagnosis. In this study, via comparative approaches to the genome sequences of the strains of various Erwinia species, we designed specific primers targeting a hypothetical gene that is single-copy and located in the chromosomal DNA of E. amylovora. This primer set specifically amplified the DNA of E. amylovora but no other bacteria, including Erwinia pyrifoliae, Pectobacterium spp., Pantoea spp., and Dickeya chrysanthemi. Furthermore, the SYBR Green-based real-time PCR using the primer set allowed estimating the population of E. amylovora accurately. Developing a rapid and accurate diagnostic method using the novel primer set enables effective defense against pathogen spread through continuous monitoring and quick response.