Method for detection of root-knot nematodes (meloidogyne spp.) at the egg stage isolated from soil

Abstract

The subject invention describes a new method for the detection of root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) at the egg stage isolated from soil. The described procedure enables the isolation of the eggs of root-knot nematode species directly from the soil and their subsequent use for their detection and identification without DNA extraction. In the procedure, an enzyme cocktail is used to release the DNA content from the material obtained by a specific purification procedure of the soil being tested and put into a real time PCR reaction, which detects the presence of nematodes of the Meloidogyne species. The procedure described here can be easily modified for the identification of other types of parasitic nematodes such as Globodera spp, Heterodera spp ili Pratylenchus spp.