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Disease Detection and Losses

Detection of Epichloë typhina in Tall Fescue by Means of Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay. M. C. Johnson, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40546; T. P. Pirone(2), M. R. Siegel(3), and D. R. Varney(4). (2)(3)(4)Department of Plant Pathology, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40546. Phytopathology 72:647-650. Accepted for publication 2 September 1981. Copyright 1982 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-72-647.

An antiserum, prepared to homogenates of washed Epichloë typhina mycelium grown in a liquid medium, was used in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect antigens of the fungus in tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) tissue samples. With ELISA we could detect as little as 100 ng of freeze-dried E. typhina mycelium per milliliter, and could detect E. typhina in individual seeds of tall fescue. Of 14 fungal genera tested, including Acremonium, Claviceps, Helminthosporium, Pythium, Rhizoctonia, and Sclerotium, all showed reactivities less than 0.1% that of E. typhina.