Storage of Wheat FoliagePrior to Enzyme‐Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Detection of Wheat Soil‐Borne Mosaic Virus

Abstract

AbstractPlant samples, collected at various times during a growing season, are frequently stored prior to evaluating resistance to wheat soil‐borne mosaic virus (WSBMV) by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Leaves of winter wheat cvs Sage and Vona, showing symptoms of WSBMV infection, were cut in half along the midrib. Each half was either: 1) refrigerated at 4 °C, 2) frozen at −20 °C, 3) frozen at –70 °C, or 4) desiccated with CaCl2. Relative virus antigen titres were evaluated for individual leaf halves by ELISA. ELISA absorbance means from desiccated leaf halves were consistently higher than absorbance means from corresponding leaf halves that had been frozen. This distinction suggests that virus antigen decreases during freezing but is retained during chemical desiccation. All 4 methods of storage were found to be suitable for short‐term storage prior to qualitative evaluations by ELISA, but chemical desiccation was the superior method for long‐term storage and for storage of foliar samples prior to quantitative evaluations by ELISA.