Linear-motion tattoo machine and prefabricated needle sets for the delivery of plant viruses by vascular puncture inoculation

Vascular puncture inoculation (VPI) of plant viruses previously has been conducted either manually or by use of a commercial engraving tool and laboratory-fabricated needle arrays. In an effort to improve this technique, a linear-motion tattoo machine driving industry-standard needle arrays was tested as a means of delivering plant viruses into maize and small grain seed embryos. The new method was applied in the successful transmission of maize rayado fino virus (MRFV), the type member of the genus Marafivirus, from an archived sample to maize. Subsequent transfer of MRFV from the sap of an infected plant using the method produced an average infection rate in maize of 70% (range 39–93%). Maize, oat, and triticale were successfully infected with oat blue dwarf virus (OBDV) using the method; similar infection rates were observed between maize seeds inoculated with the tattoo machine and those inoculated with the engraving machine when using prefabricated needle arrays. No infection was obtained in repeated tests with barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV-PAV) or cereal yellow dwarf virus (CYDV-RPV) using either sap or RNA from infectious cloned cDNA. Replacement of the original engraving-tool with a linear-motion tattoo machine in VPI provides greater flexibility and convenience in a quiet, readily-available instrument, while improving reproducibility through the use of prefabricated needle arrays.