VIEW ARTICLE

Physiology and Biochemistry

Apple Tip Leaf Antigens That Cause Spurious Reactions With Tomato Ringspot Virus Antisera in Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay. G. I. Mink, Plant pathologist, Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center, Washington State University, Prosser 99350; W. E. Howell(2), and P. R. Fridlund(3). (2)(3)Agriculture research technologist III, and plant pathologist, respectively, Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center, Washington State University, Prosser 99350. Phytopathology 75:325-329. Accepted for publication 1 October 1984. Copyright 1985 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-75-325.

Extracts from rapidly growing shoot tip leaves collected during the summer from apparently healthy apple rootstock and scion trees produced absorbance values (A_{405 nm}) in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay that indicated the presence of tomato ringspot virus (TmRSV). However, no virus was detected in these tissues by bioassay or partial purification. Leaves from the tips of rapidly growing apple shoots appear to contain unidentified, possible nonviral, antigens that react with antibodies in several TmRSV antisera. These reactions were indistinguishable from those obtained with TmRSV. The significance of this finding relative to propagating stock certification is discussed.