| Huanglongbing (HLB), a devastating citrus disease caused by the bacterium “Candidatus Liberibacter spp.”, is now responsible for significant economic losses worldwide. Yet, no effective disease control has been found, and the non-cultivability of the bacterium has severely hampered studies on the pathogen. The 16S rDNA gene is a well-characterized sequence, essential for cell survival, and is used for bacterial identification or assignment of close relationships at the genus and species levels. Quantitative Real-Time PCR (qPCR) assays based on 16S rDNA genes are widely used in the detection of “Ca. Liberibacter spp.” in multiplex reactions. We have developed for the first time a set of qPCR primers based on the conserved 16S rDNA gene, which specifically... |
