VIEW ARTICLE

Techniques

The Use of Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Detection of Citrus Tristeza Virus. M. Bar -Joseph, Virus Laboratory, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel; S. M. Garnsey(2), D. Gonsalves(3), Mira Moscovitz(4), D. E. Purcifull(5), M. F. Clark(6), and G. Loebenstein(7). (2)Horticultural Research Laboratory, Federal Research, Science and Education Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Orlando, FL 32803 USA; (3)Department of Plant Pathology, Cornell University, Geneva, NY 14456, USA (work done while at Univ. of Florida, Agricultural Research and Education Center, Lake Alfred, FL 33850); (4)Virus Laboratory, The Volcani Center; (5)Plant Virus Laboratory, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; (6)East Malling Research Station, Maidstone, Kent, England; (7)Virus Laboratory, The Volcani Center. Phytopathology 69:190-194. Accepted for publication 21 August 1978. Copyright 1979 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-69-190.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test was used to identify citrus tristeza virus (CTV) in extracts from citrus tissues. Alkaline phosphatase conjugates were prepared with partially purified γ-globulin from antiserum to purified CTV. Citrus tristeza virus was detected quickly in extracts of experimentally inoculated plants kept in various indoor facilities, and in extracts of infected samples collected from the field. The ELISA procedure was equally effective for detection of most common and seedling yellows isolates of CTV from Israel and from Florida. Isolates that produced only mild symptoms on lime (Citrus aurantifolia) ‘Mexican’ indicator seedlings could be detected by ELISA. The virus was detected in various phloem-containing tissues during warm and cold seasons, but was most readily detected from fruit pedicel bark. A test procedure that incorporated composite sampling and mechanical homogenization was developed to index large numbers of field trees.