A species-specific method for detecting pathogenic Streptomyces species from soil and potato tubers in Argentina.

Potato common scab is caused by several soil-inhabiting pathogenic Streptomyces species. In the present study, a species-specific PCR method was used to detect Streptomyces species in potato tuber lesions and soils. Total genomic DNA from soil samples from six locations and tuber samples from four potato cultivars (Spunta, Shepody, Innovator and Russet Burbank) were assessed. Streptomyces scabies, Streptomyces acidiscabies, and Streptomyces turgidiscabies were detected in soybean, tobacco and potato soils and in all potato varieties except Russet Burbank. The phylogenetic analysis of the sequences obtained confirmed the identification. The method proposed proved to be time-saving and cost effective for the rapid detection of Streptomyces species. This is the first report of the detection of S. acidiscabies and S. turgidiscabies in soils and potato tubers from Argentina.