Propidium Monoazide Improves Quantification of Resting Spores of Plasmodiophora brassicae with qPCR

What is it about?

A technique was developed and tested to only quantify viable resting spores of the clubroot pathogen, Plasmodiophora brassicae. A chemical, propidium monoazide, can pass through the membranes of dead cells and bind with the DNA. Binding the DNA prevents amplification in the qPCR process.

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Why is it important?

Determining the proportion of viable resting spores in soil can improve estimates of disease risk for planting a susceptible crop, and improve the assessment of disease management practices that target resting spores, such as fumigation.