VIEW ARTICLE

Techniques

Immunochemical and Microscopical Techniques for Detecting Blackeye Cowpea Mosaic and Soybean Mosaic Viruses in Hypocotyls of Germinated Seeds. J. A. A. Lima, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611, Present address of senior author: Department of Plant Science, Federal University of Ceara, Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil; D. E. Purcifull, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611. Phytopathology 70:142-147. Accepted for publication 9 August 1979. Copyright 1980 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-70-142.

Double immunodiffusion tests were used to detect blackeye cowpea mosaic virus (BlCMV) in hypocotyls of infected, 4- to 5-day-old cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) seedlings and soybean mosaic virus (SoyMV) in soybean (Glycine max) hypocotyls. Antigens consisted either of hypocotyl extracts prepared in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) or of hypocotyl disks embedded in agar media containing SDS. The percentages of infected seed in five lots of cowpea seed and one lot of soybean seed as determined by the hypocotyl disk immunodiffusion test were similar to the percentages of infection determined for these same lots by detecting symptoms in seedlings. Serologically specific electron microscopy also was used to detect both viruses in infected hypocotyls. Cytoplasmic (cylindrical) inclusions were detected in BlCMV-infected cowpea hypocotyls and SoyMV-infected soybean hypocotyls by light microscopy, electron microscopy, and serology.