Technique to detect virus bared

PNA Times Journal dated June 11, 1980

A new technique which rapidly detects plant viruses has been discovered by virologists at the University of the Philippines at Los Banos.

The technique, counterimmunoelectrophoretic assay (Ciepa), is useful in the early diagnosis of six Philippine plant viruses infecting beans, peppers, tobacco, tomato and orchids.

The use of  Ciepa technique was discovered by Luciano T. Talens and his wife Angelita C. Dolores-Talens who work for the virus biocontrol laboratory at the UPLB.

Talens said "Ciepa is reliable, specific, sensitive, rapid and simple teqhnique for the routine diagnosis of plant viruses with single or mixed infections in a single-step, 30-minute operation."

Plant viruses are small organisms that cause disease to plants.

Talens said ther are several techniques in deteting and diagnosdinv risu infections in human beings, animals and plants.

However, he said such procedures were slow for mass testing of imported orchids for the tobacco mosaic virus (TMV-O) and other viruses diseases in plants.

The Ciepa, he said, identifies three types of plant viruess such as the isometric particle of cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV), mungbean mottle virus (MMV) and southern bean mosaic virus (SBMV); the rigid shaped tobacco mosaic virus in orchids (TMV-O); the yelllow strains of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV-YS) and the semi-fleuxous rodshaped particles of Cymbidium mosaic virus (CYMV).

PNA