Simultaneous detection of five carnation viruses by non-isotopic molecularhybridization

Several viruses, which in some cases can cause severe losses, affect carnat ion plants. These viruses include carnation mottle virus, carnation etched ring virus (CERV), carnation vein mottle virus, carnation ringspot virus, c arnation Italian ringspot virus and carnation latent virus. A non-isotopic molecular hybridization was developed for the detection of these viruses in host plants and the sensitivity of the technique has been compared with en zyme-linked immunosorbent assay and bioassay methods. A procedure was devel oped to test simultaneously for the five RNA viruses (except CERV). The con ditions established for this simultaneous detection did not include the DNA virus CERV due to the necessity of incorporating an additional step of RNa se A treatment in the procedure to eliminate background signals. The sensit ivity limits obtained for each virus using this multiple detection assay we re identical to those obtained with the individual assays. The relative ben efits of using this detection procedure for routine diagnosis of carnation viruses are discussed. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.