Development of KASP assays for identification of Meloidogyne chitwoodi

Abstract Meloidogyne chitwoodi is a serious pest of potatoes, causing galling of the tuber and necrosis of the tissue, leading to reduced yields and market value. Due to M. chitwoodi ’s high tolerance to low temperatures and its ability to reproduce rapidly within one growing season, this species is on the quarantine lists in the world. As a result, quarantine measures for this species must be taken correctly and quickly. In this study, Kompetitive Allele-Specific PCR (KASP) genotyping assays were developed to identify M. chitwoodi . The developed KASP primers were able to distinguish M. chitwoodi from other nematode species, as well as detect DNA isolated directly from potato tubers infected with M. chitwoodi .