New test can detect plant viruses faster, cheaper

A new test could save time and money diagnosing plant viruses, some of which can destroy millions of dollars in crops each year in Florida, says a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher.

In a newly published study, Jane Polston, a UF/IFAS plant pathology professor, examined several ways to detect the DNA genome of begomoviruses. These viruses have emerged over the last 30 years to become plant pathogens that threaten crop production in tropical and sub-tropical regions globally.

Polston and her research colleagues found that a certain test called "recombinase polymerase amplification" identified the cause of a disease faster and cheaper than the commonly used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test -- or "assay," as scientists call them.

UF/IFAS scientists learned of this new type of test that's fast, sensitive and cheaper than some other methods, and they adapted the new technology and modified it to test for several whitefly-transmitted viruses found in Florida, Polston said.

Source: www.sciencedaily.com