The use of collagenase to improve the detection of plant viruses in vector nematodes by RT-PCR.

Tomato ringspot virus (ToRSV), Tobacco ringspot virus (TRSV) and Tobacco rattle virus (TRV) are transmitted to healthy plants by viruliferous nematodes in the soil. A method was developed for extraction of genomic viral RNA from virus particles carried within nematodes and a sensitive nested RT-PCR detection assay. The procedure has been adapted to microscale for handling multiple samples. This assay is effective for detection of ToRSV or TRSV in Xiphinema americanum or TRV in Paratrichodorus allius. With this method, viruses can be detected in nematodes fed on infected plants or from field-collected nematodes where the percentage of viruliferous nematodes is unknown. Soil samples from four red raspberry fields infected with ToRSV were collected in 2003 and 2004. Nematodes isolated from these samples were assayed for ToRSV by RT-PCR and compared to cucumber baiting bioassay for virus transmission from the same soil samples. ToRSV was detected in nematodes throughout the season with similar frequencies by the RT-PCR assay and the transmission bioassay.