We have developed two taxon-selective primers for quick identification of theFusarium genus. These primers, ITS-Fu-f and ITS-Fu-r were designed by comparing the aligned sequences of internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS) of a range ofFusarium species. The primers showed good specificity for the genus Fusarium, and the approximately 389-bp product was amplified exclusively. PCR sensitivity ranged from 100 fg to 10 ng for DNA extracted from Fusarium oxysporum mycelium. No amplification products were detected with PCR of DNA from Rhizoctonia solani andMacrophomina phaseolina isolates using these primers. The assay is useful for rapid identification of Fusarium spp. cultures. The application of these PCR methods for early diagnosis of the seedling and wilt disease of cotton needs to be studied further. Key words: rDNA, taxon-specific primer, Fusarium genus, Gossypium barbadense