Serologic Detection of Bean Common Mosaic and Lettuce Mosaic Viruses in Seed

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Abstract
Serologic methods for detecting seed-borne bean common mosaic (BCMV) and lettuce mosaic (LMV) viruses were investigated because preliminary tests showed that enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (EIA) could be used to detect the purified viruses at concentrations as low as 10 ng/ml. With artificially contrived levels of infection, the equivalent of 1 BCMV-infected embryo homogenized with 2000 healthy embryos and 1 LMV-infected seed homogenized with 1400 healthy seed could be detected. EIA was more sensitive and convenient in routine screening of lettuce seed lots for LMV than the Chenopodium quinoa assay or "seedling grow-out" indexing methods currently used by the California [USA] lettuce industry. EIA detected BCMV in all flower and seed parts tested in infected bean. In mature bean seed, the virus was mainly in the embryo, with only a small amount in the seed coat. In contrast, considerable virus was detected in the coat of immature seed as well as in the embryo after surface decontamination.