Advanced and Commonly Used Serological Techniques for Detection and Diagnosis of Plant Virus: Review

Abstract

Plant diseases caused by viruses are the most menace to sustainable agriculture, leading to numerous billion dollars in losses annually. Proper and accurate detection of plant viruses is always the key to developing appropriate solutions to manage the economic losses caused by them. Advances in technology have simplified the tools available to detect and diagnose viruses at a time when control measures should be used. Currently, nucleic acid and serological based diagnostic methods are widely used for plant viral identifications. Serological techniques which based on antibody and antigen reaction is broadly used for the detection of plant viruses because of its simplicity, adaptability and sensitivity. A large number of advanced serological tests are available such as enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), dot immunobinding assay, tissue blotting immunoassay and Lateral flow assay. Various ELISA varieties such as double-antibody sandwich-ELISA, triple-antibody sandwich-ELISA, and antigen-coated-ELISA are widely used in the detection and testing of plant viruses. Dot immunobinding assay performed on a nitrocellulose that the plant extracts are spotted onto a membrane while tissue blotting immunoassay is an easy method that the crude sap from plants is directly blotted and used for detection through immunology. Lateral flow assay is the latest and the only serological method used for the detection of viruses without the aid of laboratory and skilled personnel. It is an onsite and quick assay that can be performed by anyone and suitable for the detection of viruses that occur in high concentrations in plants.