Quantitative PCR Assays Developed for and for Phomopsis Stem Canker Diagnosis and Germplasm Screening in Sunflower ().

Phomopsis stem canker of sunflower is caused by two fungal pathogens, and , in the United States. In this study, two quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays were developed to detect and quantify and in sunflower. The two assays differentiated the two fungi from each other, other species of the genus , and pathogens, and they have high efficiency (>90%).