Validation of the bait test with Rhododendron leaves for Phytophthora diagnosis
| Authors: | Corina Junker, Sabine Werres |
| Year: | 2017 |
| Type: | General Technical Report |
| Station: | Pacific Southwest Research Station |
| Source: | Proceedings of the sudden oak death sixth science symposium. Gen. Tech. Rep. GTR-PSW-255. Albany, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station: 75. |
Abstract
Bait tests are very helpful for diagnosis of Phytophthora in for example soil, substrate, water, sediment, and rootball samples (Werres and others 2014). By attracting the motile zoospores of the Phytophthora species with the baits these pathogens can be separated from other organisms. Bait tests are simple and cost effective and - compared with other diagnostic techniques - they are much more independent on the varying sample quality. Furthermore, bait tests can be used for evaluating big sample quantities.
Within the preparation of laboratory accreditation according to ISO standard ISO/IEC 17025 the European Plant Protection Organization (EPPO) recommends the validation of laboratory methods (“Specific requirements for laboratories preparing accreditation for plant pest diagnostic activity” EPPO standard PM 7/98; PM 7/76). In this guideline, detailed instructions on test verification are given, like analytical sensitivity and specificity, selectively, repeatability, and reproducibility.
Within the European project “Responses of European Forests and Society to Invasive Pathogens” (RESIPATH, http://www.slu.se/resipath) the bait test with rhododendron leaves will be validated according to the EPPO guidelines. For the validation the standard protocol with detached rhododendron leaves according to Themann and and Werres (1998, 2000) will be used. First results of the different validation steps will be presented.