ABSTRACT
Soilborne microbial plant pathogens include oomycetes, fungi, bacteria and actinomycetes which may lead either saprophytic or parasitic life during the entire or part of the life cycle. The soil-invading fungal pathogens may move from infected seeds/ propagules which may be symptomatic or asymptomatic to emerging young seedlings. Verticillium dahliae, causal agent of Verticillium wilt of potato, is soilborne and can be found in soil carried on the potato seed tubers. Techniques based on the physical and biochemical properties of fungal pathogens have been evaluated for their usefulness for the detection and identification of soilborne fungal pathogens. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and its variants have been applied extensively for the detection of soilborne fungal pathogens present in plants, soil and water. A species-specific polymerase chain reaction assay was developed for rapid and precise detection of Phytophthora capsici in pepper plants, soil and water.
