Development of PCR Method for Fast Detection of Ophiostoma Floccosum in Wood Chips

Ophiostoma floccosum is one of blue stain fungi that cause cosmetic damage in softwood.To develop a molecular maker for the detection of O. floccosum, we designed Oflo1 and Oflo2 primers based on the β-tubulin gene.PCR assay with eleven isolates of O. floccosum and nine other blue stain and discoloring fungal species (moulds) proved that the designed primers specifically amplified a 333 bp sized DNA band only from genomic DNA of O. floccosum isolates.Together with microwave heating extraction of spore DNA, we could detect O. floccosum within 2 h on artificially inoculated wood chip.We believed that the developed PCR method will be useful where detection of target species such as O. floccosum is required.