Specific identification of Aureobasidium pullulans L47 using PCR and molecular scorpion

Strain L47 of Aureobasidium pullulans is an effective biocontrol agent for several post-harvest fruit diseases, even when applied in the field before harvesting. This strategy requires a specific method of monitoring in order to optimize formulations and to evaluate the level of colonization and dispersal in the environment. We have detected strain L47 among other morphologically indistinguishable isolates of A. pullulans using Scorpion PCR, an automated real-time fluorescence detection system that targets a 145-bp fragment of the L47 genome. We propose this approach as a specific, rapid and reliable method of monitoring A. pullulans, strain LA7.