Detecting Bakanae Disease Pathogens in Rice Seeds

Korea Seed & Variety Service Files Patent for Simultaneous Diagnosis Technology
Enabling Detection of Four Major Pathogens Causing Bakanae Disease in Rice

A diagnostic method has been developed to rapidly and accurately detect four major types of fungi that cause bakanae disease in rice at the seed stage, without the need for a culturing process.

The Korea Seed & Variety Service announced on April 12 that it has developed this 'simultaneous multiplex diagnostic method for four Fusarium species originating from rice seeds' and has filed a patent application for the technology.

With recent abnormal climate conditions—such as rising temperatures, changes in rainfall patterns, and longer periods of high heat and humidity—there is an increasing likelihood that the incidence of diseases will change and that the distribution of pathogens will be reorganized. In this context, building a system for early detection and management at the seed stage has become critical.

Bakanae disease in rice is a representative seed-borne disease caused by fungi. Infected seeds can lead to poor germination, lodging, stunted growth, and reduced yield. Traditionally, pathogens have been detected by direct culturing and microscopic observation of their morphology. However, this method has limitations: it is difficult to accurately distinguish pathogens, it depends heavily on the skill of the examiner, and it is time-consuming and labor-intensive.

The newly developed technology has dramatically improved work efficiency by diagnosing bakanae disease in rice through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis of seed or plant extracts, without the need for pathogen culturing. Notably, the development of a multiplex PCR technique enables the simultaneous detection of the four major pathogens responsible for bakanae disease in rice. As a result, testing time has been reduced by 83% and accuracy has improved by 40% compared to previous individual diagnostic methods.

The Korea Seed & Variety Service expects that this newly developed diagnostic technology for bakanae disease in rice will serve as a foundation for rapidly supplying high-quality, healthy rice seeds to farmers.

Yang Jupil, Director General of the Korea Seed & Variety Service, stated, "Bakanae disease in rice is a seed-borne epidemic that must be intensively managed for food security," and added, "We will continue to lead the way in innovating seed management technologies that farmers can trust."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.