A rapid differential staining technique for Fusarium pseudograminearum in cereal tissues during crown rot infections

Abstract

A novel fluorescence-based differential staining procedure has been developed for the rapid visualization of Fusarium pseudograminearum hyphae in cereal tissues. Infected tissues are stained with safranin, which binds to host cell walls, while hyphal tissues are stained with the fluorescent dye solophenyl flavine 7GFE. The method is rapid, does not require clearing of culm cross-sections, and provides high contrast informative images of fungal and plant structures during pathogenesis. © 2011 The Authors. Plant Pathology © 2011 BSPP.