DIAGNÓSTICO MOLECULAR DE LA MARCHITEZ BACTERIANA.

Bacterial wilt, caused by Ralstonia solanacearum, is one of the most important bacteria plant diseases affecting crops in the tropical and subtropical regions at a wide range. In Cuba, this disease is under strict quarantine measures; however entrance risk grows every year due to the import of vegetal material coming from areas of high infestation levels. In this work, the use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection and confirmation of R. solanacearum in imported materials, as well as the surveillance of the disease in the national system of plant health are introduced and developed The methodology used made easy the detection of R. solanacearum in cell cultures up to 10¹ UFC/mL and in total DNAs. Nowadays, such methodology has been used in the evaluation of potato seeds imported every year which allows strengthening the prevention and surveillance systems of the bacterial wilt in Cuba [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]