Simple Detection of Fungal Pathogens in Maize.

Northern corn leaf spot and southern corn leaf blight caused by (anamorph, ) and (anamorph, ), respectively, are common maize diseases in Korea. Accurate detection of plant pathogens is necessary for effective disease management. Based on the polyketide synthase gene (PKS) of and the nonribosomal peptide synthetase gene (NRPS) of , primer pairs were designed for PCR to simultaneously detect the two fungal pathogens and were specific and sensitive enough to be used for duplex PCR analysis. This duplex PCR-based method was found to be effective for diagnosing simultaneous infections from the two species that display similar morphological and mycological characteristics. With this method, it is possible to prevent infections in maize by detecting infected seeds or maize and discarding them. Besides saving time and effort, early diagnosis can help to prevent infections, establish comprehensive management systems, and secure healthy seeds.