Resumen

VERA, Diana et al. Determination of the detection threshold of Pseudococcus viburni (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) by PCR. Rev. Soc. Entomol. Argent. [online]. 2012, vol.71, n.1-2, pp.151-154. ISSN 0373-5680.

The obscure mealybug Pseudococcus viburni (Signoret) is a quarantine pest present in the Upper Valley of Río Negro and Neuquén, Argentina. The detection of any growth stage of the mealybug in quarantine inspections often results in rejections of fresh fruit in countries where the fruit is exported. In this study the detection threshold of P. viburni was determined by PCR technique. The DNA extraction kit, DNAzol^TM, was used as a fast DNA extraction method. By using the above extraction kit, good DNA quality and concentration was obtained from specimens of P. viburni of different developmental stages (including eggs, nymphs and adults) which were preserved in pro-analysis ethanol at -20ºC following the manufacturer protocol. One aliquote of this DNA was used as a template in a PCR reaction using specific P. viburni primers recorded in the literature and DNA of P viburni from an entomological collection was used as a control. In all stages the amplification generated an expected size band of 650 bp visualized in an agarose 1.5% gel. The detection threshold of P. viburni using our method was an egg. These results involve a specific detection technique for P. viburni and reliable species identification in a space of 48 h.

Palabras clave : Mealybug of the fruit; Quarantine inspection; Quarantine pest; Threshold PCR.

        · resumen en Español     · texto en Español     · Español ( pdf )