A multiplex PCR ‐based technique for identification of Biscogniauxia mediterranea and Obolarina persica causing charcoal disease of oak trees in Zagros forests

Summary Zagros oak ( Quercus spp.) forests ( ZOF ) cover approximately 4 million hectares of the Zagros Mountains in Iran. Oak charcoal disease caused by Biscogniauxia mediterranea and Obolarina persica has recently increased in some regions of ZOF . Detection of these fungi in host tissue and identification of the anamorphs by traditional methods have limitations and difficulties which were overcome using two primers, OP 1 and OP 2, based on rDNA sequences of O. persica and used along with the specific primers MED 1 and MED 2 for B. mediterranea to develop a multiplex PCR . This method was used to correctly identify 1 pg of fungal DNA per 1 mg of inner bark tissues of Quercus brantii , Q. infectoria and Q. libani .