Articles
VERIFICATION OF ELISA AS A RELIABLE TEST METHOD FOR KALANCHOE MOSAIC POTYVIRUS (KMV) AND ESTABLISHMENT OF VIRUS-FREE KALANCHOE BLOSSFELDIANA BY MERISTEM-TIP CULTURE
In this report ELISA is compared with the previously used top-graft method where virus-free K. blosffeldiana cv.
Attraction are grafted on plants to be tested for KMV. Results were compared at four seasons in 22 cultivars of which 8 were KMV-infected, some latently.
Symptoms were often indistinct or absent in Attraction after grafting, however, ELISA and ISEM tests confirmed that plants were latently infected with KMV. ELISA is very sensitive and specific and is now recommended for KMV routine tests.
From cv.
Charme, known to be a somehow unstable cultivar, KMV was eliminated by meristem-tip culture or in vitro culture of mini-cuttings.
Explants were excised directly or in combination with heat treatment during one up to five months.
The established plants were repeatedly tested for KMV, and afterwards the small plants in tubes were propagated for a completing control of growth and flower characteristics.
The flowering trial was set up with 10 plants of each of the 177 virus-free clones.
All plants were very uniform in growth and only a very few plants with a slightly lighter flower colour were observed.
The best clone was selected and grown for further comparison with the existing selected Charme clone from The Danish Grower’s Elite Plant Station.
For elimination of KMV it is recommended to give mother plants a heat treatment for two monhts before meristems are excised.