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Assay for Maize Stripe Virus-Infected Plants by Using Antiserum Produced to a Purified Noncapsid Protein. B. W. Falk, University of Florida, Agricultural Research and Education Center, Belle Glade 33430; J. H. Tsai, University of Florida, Agricultural Research and Education Center, Fort Lauderdale 33314. Phytopathology 73:1259-1262. Accepted for publication 1 April 1983. Copyright 1983 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-73-1259.

The 16,300-dalton (16.3-kd) noncapsid protein found in maize stripe virus (MStpV) infected plants was purified by SDS-polyacrylimide gel electrophoresis and used as an immunogen to produce antiserum for indexing MStpV infected plants. The antiserum gave only weak reactions with MStpV infected plants by immunodiffusion or double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), but reacted strongly with infected plants by indirect ELISA. Sap dilutions from infected plants gave strong reactions even when diluted to 10^{- 7}, and purified 16.3-kd protein was detected at concentrations as low as 150 ng/ml. No significant cross reactions were obtained when tested against purified MStpV 32-kd capsid protein. There were no cross reactions with maize plants infected with other maize viruses. MStpV was detected in infected plant species other than Zea mays, but no positive reactions were obtained by testing MStpV viruliferous Peregrinus maidis.