DETECTION OF FUSARIUM OXYSPORUM F. SP. ELAEIDIS CAUSING FUSARIUM WILT OF OIL PALM USING LOOP-MEDIATED ISOTHERMAL AMPLIFICATION (LAMP)

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. elaeidis (FOE) a pathogen that causes fusarium wilt disease in oil palm can be detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) but very time consuming. Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) was used to rapidly detect Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. elaeidis (FOE) in oil palm seedlings. Eight additional Fusarium oxysporum isolates collected from symptomatic oil palm trees (i.e. presumed-FOE as their pathogenicity was not confirmed) and five other non-FOE isolates were sampled from symptomatic mature oil palm trees and tomato respectively to broaden the scope of the research. The identities of FOE, presumed-FOE and non-FOE were established via sequencing. LAMP primers designed for detecting FOE or presumed-FOE were based on partial sequences of Secreted In Xylem (SIX8) and P-450 cytochrome. The earliest detection time for SIX8 and P-450 cytochrome primers were 4:00 mins and 6:45 mins respectively with both recording late time for detection at 26:30 mins. Annealing derivative curves were used for assessing the level of specificity for both SIX8 and P-450 cytochrome, but none of the LAMP primers could distinguish between FOE, presumed-FOE and non-FOE.