SET REACTIVOS ELISA, TOANV PARA 480 ENSAYOS, 1 KIT

ToANV, a recently described virus in Mexico (4), is causing severe symptoms on tomato resembling those caused by Tomato spotted wilt virus, such as malformation and necrosis of the apex, necrosis on leaves and stems, stunting, as well as necrotic rings on fruits. Especially early infections are causing important yield losses and may even destroy the crop. Other solanaceous plants such as tomatillos (Mexican husk tomato, Physalis philadelphica) are also infected.

The virus is synonymous to Tomato marchitez virus (ToMarV) (5), and has been classified in the newly proposed genus Torradovirus. ToANV has been reported in North America (and is on the quarantine list there), and as a new record by EPPO Service (3). ToANV is efficiently transmitted by Bemisia tabaci, (Bryce Falk and Massimo Turina, personal communication; and 1).

The DAS-ELISA reagents (2) contain antibodies developed against purified virus of a tomato isolate from plants expressing strong necrotic symptoms (4). The reagents specifically react with ToANV in DAS-ELISA. All isolates tested so far have been detected. A weak cross reaction with other Torradoviruses can occur. For testing tomatoes or tomatillos, leaf samples are homogenized 1:20 (w/v) in extraction buffer «General». The product was developed in cooperation with the Institute for Sustainable Plant Protection (ISPP-CNR), Torino, Italy. Specificity was tested at UC Davis, California, USA.