A novel PCR–DNA probe for the detection of fumonisin-producing Fusarium species from major food crops grown in southern India

Fumonisins are a group of 20 chemically related toxic fungal metabolites mainly produced by Fusarium verticillioides and Fusarium proliferatum. In this study, attempt has been made to develop rapid detection of fumonisin-producing Fusarium species from freshly harvested rice and finger millet by novel and sensitive polymerase chain reaction–deoxyribonucleic acid (PCR–DNA) probe. One set of oligonucleotide primers was designed targeting FUM13 gene involved in fumonisin biosynthesis and PCR–DNA probe was developed for dot-blot hybridization assay. The sensitivity of developed PCR–DNA probe was determined; it could detect 10 pg genomic DNA and 1 pg of purified PCR product. To determine the practical usefulness, the developed PCR–DNA probe was evaluated onto the rice grains that were artificially inoculated with toxigenic fungal spores. Sensitivity of the developed probe was found to be 1 × 106 CFU per gram of the rice sample using dot-blot hybridization assay. The specificity of the DNA probe was validated b...