This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Pujol, M.
Right arrow Articles by Montesinos, E.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Pujol, M.
Right arrow Articles by Montesinos, E.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Pujol, M.
Right arrow Articles by Montesinos, E.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, April 2006, p. 2421-2427, Vol. 72, No. 4
0099-2240/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.72.4.2421-2427.2006
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Assessment of the Environmental Fate of the Biological Control Agent of Fire Blight, Pseudomonas fluorescens EPS62e, on Apple by Culture and Real-Time PCR Methods

Marta Pujol,1 Esther Badosa,1 Charles Manceau,2 and Emilio Montesinos1*

Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology-CIDSAV-CeRTA, University of Girona, 17071 Girona, Spain,1 UMR 077 PaVé, Centre INRA, 49071 Beaucouzé, France2

Received 17 October 2005/ Accepted 19 January 2006

The colonization of apple blossoms and leaves by Pseudomonas fluorescens EPS62e was monitored in greenhouse and field trials using cultivable cell counting and real-time PCR. The real-time PCR provided a specific quantitative method for the detection of strain EPS62e. The detection level was around 102 cells g (fresh weight)–1 and the standard curve was linear within a 5-log range. EPS62e actively colonized flowers reaching values from 107 to 108 cells per blossom. In apple flowers, no significant differences were observed between population levels obtained by real-time PCR and plating, suggesting that viable but nonculturable (VBNC) cells and residual nondegraded DNA were not present. In contrast, on apple leaves, where cultivable populations of EPS62e decreased with time, significant differences were observed between real-time PCR and plating. These differences indicate the presence of VBNC cells or nondegraded DNA after cell death. Therefore, the EPS62e population was under optimal conditions during the colonization of flowers but it was stressed and poorly survived on leaves. It was concluded that for monitoring this biological control agent, the combined use of cultivable cell count and real-time PCR is necessary.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Institute of Food and Agricultural Technology-CIDSAV-CeRTA, University of Girona, Campus Montilivi, 17071 Girona, Spain. Phone: 34 972418427. Fax: 34 972418399. E-mail: emonte{at}intea.udg.es.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, April 2006, p. 2421-2427, Vol. 72, No. 4
0099-2240/06/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.72.4.2421-2427.2006
Copyright © 2006, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Reichert-Schwillinsky, F., Pin, C., Dzieciol, M., Wagner, M., Hein, I. (2009). Stress- and Growth Rate-Related Differences between Plate Count and Real-Time PCR Data during Growth of Listeria monocytogenes. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 75: 2132-2138 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»