VIEW ARTICLE

Disease Control and Pest Management

Location of Prunus Necrotic Ringspot Virus on Pollen Grains from Infected Almond and Cherry Trees. Anabel Cole, Research associate, Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center, Prosser, WA 99350; G. I. Mink(2), and Samuel Regev(3). (2)(3)Plant pathologist, and former research associate, respectively, Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center, Prosser, WA 99350. Phytopathology 72:1542-1545. Accepted for publication 24 May 1982. Copyright 1982 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-72-1542.

Intact pollen grains and washings from pollen grains from necrotic ringspot virus (NRSV)-infected almond and cherry trees produced strong reactions in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and intact pollen grains flocculated rapidly in latex flocculation tests. Pretreatment of pollen grains with anti-NRSV globulin completely blocked the serological reactivity of intact pollen grains when subsequently tested by ELISA or latex flocculation. No additional antigens were detected when ‘blocked’ pollen grains were disintegrated. Virus-specific antigens were easily removed from intact pollen by washing. In sucrose density gradients the sedimentation pattern of virus-specific antigens obtained from pollen washes indicated that both intact virus and subviral antigens were removed. The results indicate that most, if not all, NRSV associated with almond and cherry pollen is borne on the surface. Some implications of this finding are discussed.