Detection of Phytoplasma in Selected Agricultural Crops using Antiserum Seveloped Against Phytoplasma Causing Weligama Coconut Leaf Wilt (WCLW) Disease

Abstract

Phytoplasmas are specialized bacteria that are obligate parasites of plant phloem tissues, which are found, associated with numerous plant diseases worldwide. There were no any remedial measures after infection of phytoplasma. Therefore, it is important to destroy infected plants to avoid further spreading of the pathogen. For that, early detection of infected plants are needed. Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) is one of the sensitive detection technique that can be used for the detection of phytoplasma infection. But there was no any commercially produced antiserum available at present. Plant Virus Indexing Center, Homagama has produced an antiserum for Weligama Coconut Leaf Wilt (WCLW) phytoplasma. Therefore, this study was done to find the possibility of detection of other phytoplasma infection using this antiserum. For this study SCGS and SCWL phytoplasma infected sugarcane samples and avocado malformed inflorescence samples collected from various locations, were tested by indirect ELISA using locally produced antiserum for WCLW phytoplasma. All SCGS and SCWL infected samples gave positive reaction for the test. All avocado samples gave negative reaction for the test. It can be concluded that SCGS and SCWL phytoplasmas can be detected successfully using locally produced polyclonal antiserum raised against WCLW phytoplasma. However, this antiserum is not suitable to detect board spectrum of phytoplasma.