Reliable Detection of Barley Yellow Dwarf Viruses in Field Samples by Monoclonal Antibodies. Cleora J. D’Arcy, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Illinois. A. D. Hewings, and C. E. Eastman. Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Crop Protection Research, and Illinois Natural History Survey, Urbana, IL 61801. Plant Dis. 76:273-276. Accepted for publication 24 October 1991. Copyright 1992 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-76-0273.

Monoclonal antibodies in triple-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (TAS-ELISA) and polyclonal antibodies in double-antibody sandwich ELISA (DAS-ELISA) were used for detection of three serotypes of barley yellow dwarf viruses (BYDVs) in field collected oat and wheat leaf samples. Agreement between the two ELISA systems was >99% for 900 and 1,050 samples collected in 1989 and 1990, respectively, indicating that the monoclonal antibodies were detecting highly conserved viral epitopes. In both years, PAV and RPV serotypes of BYDVs were present in oat and wheat fields in Illinois. The overall incidence of PAV serotypes was higher than that of RPV serotypes (8.3 vs. 1.7% in 1989 and 16.6 vs. 2.5% in 1990). No MAV serotypes were detected. The results demonstrate the usefulness of monoclonal antibodies in field surveys for BYDVs.