Detection of potato viruses A,M, S,X, Yand leafroll and potato spindle tuber viroid from tissue culture plantlets using single leaf discs

Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and dotimmunobinding assay (DIBA) for potato viruses A (PVA), M (PVM), S (PVS), X (PVX), Y^N (PVY^N), Y^O (PVY^O) and leafroll (PLRV) and nucleic acid spot hybridization (NASH) for potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd), virus and viroid were detected reliably from single leaf discs (6 mm) of tissue-culture plantlets. Leaf discs taken from leaf positions (1 to 8) (bottom to top) can be used for detection of all viruses except PLRV where the lower leaves had higher concentrations of virus than the leaves from the upper part of the plantlet. Virus cultures were maintained for 1 to 4 years in several potato cultivars. The levels of virus remained reproducible except for PVM concentration, which was found to be very low in cv. Green Mountain. Using densitometry software, the DIBA spots were quantified and results were comparable to A₄₀₅ values obtained by ELISA. PSTVd concentration as measured by densitometry from spots of NASH indicated no loss of viroid over 1–4 years in tissue culture in two potato cultivars.