Phytophthora: samples wanted

If you have carried out a Pocket Diagnostic test for Phytophthora and seen a positive result, have you ever thought that it would be useful to know the species?  If identification to the species level is important to you (and let’s face it, sometimes it is essential), then PDplus could make your life easier. We are looking for samples of Phytophthora-infected material to help evaluate new PDplus services.

PDplus was launched last year to give rapid diagnosis of four species of Phytophthora from laboratory analysis of a positive Pocket Diagnostic test.  In summary, the Pocket Diagnostic lateral flow test is carried out in the field, and the test strip with a positive result is sent back to Forsite for DNA analysis.  On most occasions we can get a result back to you within 24-36 hours – much faster than a conventional laboratory result, and at less cost too. 

The species of Phytophthora we can currently test for in this way are P. ramorum, P. kernoviae, P. cactorum and P. frageriae. 

This year we are expanding this range to include P. citricola and P. cinnamomi – two very important pathogens affecting a wide range of hosts.  But we need your help.  To prove the robustness and reliability of the technique across a broad spectrum of hosts we need samples.  If you are using Phytophthora Pocket Diagnostic tests and find positive results with what you suspect might be P. cinnamomi or citricola, please send the tests to Forsite, together with a small sample of the actual plant. 

We’ll put them through the new PDplus analysis and let you know the outcome.  ‘Any samples we do receive will be a very useful addition to the libraries of samples we can get hold of now’, says Chris Danks, Forsite’s chief executive. ‘The more samples we can obtain, the better will be the validation’. 

Forsite has an exclusive licence from the UK government’s Food and Environment Research Agency to carry out analysis on DNA extracted from lateral flow tests.   ‘We see this as an important technology in the years ahead’, says Chris. ‘Phytophthora diagnosis is just the start of many uses of this technique in the analysis of biological samples.’

Samples should be sent to:

Forsite Diagnostics Ltd
Sand Hutton
York
YO41 1LZ
United Kingdom

If you have any questions on PDplus, contact us via email.