Real time PCR was carried out using this DNA as a template using the QuantiFast SYBR Green PCR kit (Qiagen, USA). The 10 ml reaction mixture consisted of 1X SYBR Green PCR mix, 5 pmol of primers and 1 ml of template. Amplification was carried out at 95 C for 5 min, followed by 40 cycles of 95 C for 10 s, 60 C for 30 s and 72 C for 30 s. A standard curve was prepared using different concentrations of F. oxysporum genomic DNA extracted from the fungal mycelia using CTAB method for fungal DNA isolation