Rapid identification of bacteria associated with Acute Oak Decline by high-resolution melt analysis.

Acute Oak Decline is an increasing threat to Britain's native oak population. Two novel bacterial species both belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae, Gibbsiella quercinecans and Brenneria goodwinii, are thought to play an important role in symptom development. Here, we describe a rapid identification technique using high-resolution melt analysis of the atpD gene able to assign isolates to either G. quercinecans or B. goodwinii in a single assay, greatly reducing the time taken to identify if either or both of these species are present in symptomatic oak.