Development and Application of an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) Test to Index Lettuce Seeds for Lettuce Mosaic Virus in Florida. B. W. Falk, University of Florida Agricultural Research and Education Center, Belle Glade 33430. D. E. Purcifull, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611. Plant Dis. 67:413-416. Accepted for publication 21 September 1982. Copyright 1983 American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-67-413.

Double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for indexing lettuce seed lots for lettuce mosaic virus (LMV). ELISA tests showed no differences for six geographically different LMV isolates. In addition, the percentage of LMV in four seed lots was found to be similar when tested by seedling growout, Chenopodium quinoa assay, and ELISA, indicating that detectable LMV antigens in seeds are probably only associated with infectious LMV. When samples containing large numbers of seeds were tested by ELISA, significant nonspecific reactions were obtained in healthy samples. These were overcome by incubating samples at room temperature for 24 hr after grinding and before adding them to test plates. Simultaneous indexing of commercial Florida lettuce seed lots by C. quinoa and ELISA methods showed no differences in detectability of LMV in the seed lots. The ELISA test is much faster and easier than the C. quinoa test.

Keyword(s): serology.