MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF PENICILLIUMEXPANSUMASSOCIATED WITH BLUE MOLD DISEASE OF APPLE IN PAKISTAN

The present study was conducted for molecular characterization of the causal agent of blue mold decay in apple (Malus domestica Borkh.). Penicillium expansum Link is a major post-harvest pathogen responsible for significant yield losses to fruit industry. Specific detection of P. expansum is of prime importance for ensuring the safety and quality of food products. The traditional methods for pathogen identification are labor intensive, less reliable and time consuming, therefore, these are being replaced with molecular techniques. The infected apples with pale yellow to brown lesions were collected from the local market of Lahore, Pakistan. The infected samples were cultured on malt extract agar in order to obtain the pure fungal colonies. Pathogenicity of the isolated fungus was confirmed by inoculating the fungal mycelia on asymptomatic apples. After macroscopic characterization, the isolated pathogen was observed under light and scanning electron microscopes and the fungus was identified as P. expansum. For molecular characterization, the isolated rDNA of the fungus was tested using ITS, beta-tubulin, calmodulin and CF primer pairs and the obtained PCR products were got sequenced and deposited in the GenBank with accession numbers MN752156, MN787826, MN787827 and MN787828, respectively. As per our knowledge, this is the first study regarding molecular characterization of P. expansum, the cause of blue mold disease of apple in Pakistan.

Automated summary

This study focused on molecular characterization of the causal agent of blue mold decay in apples, Penicillium expansum, for ensuring food safety and quality.