Serological diagnosis of plum pox virus in Ukraine

Plum pox virus is causative agent of stone fruit trees disease and is a quarantine agent worldwide. The virus is widespread in different regions of Ukraine, posesses a serious threat to the garden industry and the distrubution of the pathogen grows every year. The purpose of our work was to monitor stone fruit cultures for the presence of plum virus in Ukraine, using serological diagnostic methods to determine the prevalence of plum pox virus and further study the molecular and epidemiological features of the pathogen, and to obtain specific diagnostic serum. Firstly, a specific diagnostic serum for detection all strains of plum pox virus was obtained for early and large-scale diagnosis of stone fruit cultures. The specificity of the obtained serum was confirmed by immunoelectroblotting. The resulting serum was used for indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, as well as for immunoassay ("sandwich") of a commercial test system manufactured by Loewe (Germany). As a result, plum pox virus was detected in six regions of Ukraine, the part of infected plants of stone fruit trees from the studied regions is 30%, which is a serious threat to our country's horticultural industry, and needs further molecular genetic diagnostics.