Molecular Diagnostics of Soil-Borne Pathogenic Fungi in Several Agricultural Crops

Modern requirements for product quality provide for expanding the competence in sectors of producing and managing agricultural products by investigating the cause-effect relationships in the transmission of diseases between species through host-pathogen interactions. Monitoring and accurate identification of pathogens in agriculture products are essential for successful implementation of an integrated pest management program. Among the pathogens that have a serious impact on agricultural production, micromycetes outnumber all other species. Diagnostics of fungal pathogens using traditional methods can be difficult due to the similarity of their morphological traits, the lack of the ability to study non-culturable genotypes. In this regard, molecular detection methods based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were used in the study, which allow specific detection of any microorganisms. Analysis of the species composition of pathogenic fungi of Fusarium, Penicillium and Aspergillus genera in the genotypes of some vegetable crops of local selection was conducted based PCR-assay. The efficiency of molecular technique for the speciesspecific detection of pathogenic fungi that can affect agricultural crops was demonstrated. Molecular diagnostic assessment of the phytosanitary status of seeds of different storage periods was done. Development of some fungal infection during plant ontogenesis using nested-PCR assay was monitored.