Real-Time PCRREAL-TIME PCR Detection Methods for Economically Important Grapevine Related Bacteria.

Preventive measures are extremely important for control of diseases that are caused by plant pathogenic bacteriaPlant pathogenic bacteria on economically important plants. For this reason, fast and reliable detection methods are required. Along with the time-consuming conventional detection methods such as isolation and culturing of bacteria on media, PCR-based methods have been introduced as supplementary tests for better diagnosis of plant pathogenic bacteriaPlant pathogenic bacteria . In the case of non-culturable bacteria, such as PhytoplasmaPhytoplasma s, PCR-based tests even became indispensable. Real-time PCRReal-time PCR has become a widely used platform in nucleic acid detection and quantification in diagnostics. Despite the general guidelines for some of the steps, there are no common guidelines or standard operating procedures for introduction of real-time PCRReal-time PCR -based detection systems for pathogens for routine laboratory use. Four cases of detection systems for grapevine pathogenic bacteria that were developed at the National Institute of Biology are presented and discussed here, providing a practical overview of the whole process from the initial assay design to the implementation of the assay into the laboratory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]