The study aimed at using the digital droplet PCR (ddPCR) analysis to identify wheat infection by Tilletia caries (DC.) Tul. and Tilletia laevis Kühn in the early stages of plant development. The tests were carried out on winter wheat, artificially inoculated with T. caries and T. laevis teliospores. For the ddPCR tests wheat in development phases BBCH 10–32 and 75 development phases was collected. The ddPCR analysis showed the possibility of identifying pathogen’s DNA since the development phase of BBCH 10. In control plants – not infected with Tilletia spp. the presence of fungal DNA was not detected. According to the obtained results, it was also possible to trace the dynamics of pathogen DNA propagation in wheat tissues during a plant development.

Celem pracy było zastosowanie analizy digital droplet PCR (ddPCR) w celu detekcji porażenia pszenicy przez Tilletia caries (DC.) Tul. oraz Tilletia laevis Kühn, we wczesnych stadiach rozwojowych roślin. Badania prowadzono na pszenicy ozimej, sztucznie inokulowanej teliosporami T. caries oraz T. laevis. Materiał do badań ddPCR pobierano w fazach rozwojowych BBCH 10–32 i 75. Przeprowadzona analiza ddPCR wskazała możliwość detekcji DNA patogenu już od fazy BBCH 10. W roślinach kontrolnych – niezakażanych Tilletia spp. nie wykazano obecności DNA grzyba. Na podstawie uzyskanych wyników możliwe było także prześledzenie dynamiki namnażania DNA patogenu w tkankach pszenicy w trakcie cyklu rozwojowego roślin.

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