Serologic Detection of Feathery Mottle Virus Strains in Sweet Potatoes and Ipomoea incarnata. Mateo A. Cadena-Hinojosa, Graduate Student, Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis 95616. R. N. Campbell, Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis 95616. Plant Dis. 65:412-414. Copyright 1981 American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-65-412.

The enzyme-lined immunosorbent assay technique was tested for detection of sweet potato feathery mottle virus in greenhouse and field-grown hosts. Virus was detected in partially purified preparations at a concentration of 32 ng/ml and in infected sap from sweet potatoes at dilutions up to 1:6,250 (w/v) but only if the leaves had symptoms. The reactions, using all homologous and heterologous combinations, were identical for the four isolates in Ipomoea incarnata and in sweet potatoes. Feathery mottle virus was also readily detected by serologically specific electron microscopy in partially purified virus preparations, infected I. incarnata leaves, and sweet potato leaves with virus symptoms but not in symptomless leaves.

Keyword(s): chlorotic leaf spot virus, internal cork virus, russet crack virus.