Project Number
US Biochem 03-01
Project title
An evaluation of commercial grapevine virus diagnostic kits
Project leader
Bellstedt, D U
Institution
University of Stellenbosch: Department of Biochemistry
Project description
Currently a variety of diagnostic test kits, both locally produced and imported. are used for the detection of grapevine viruses and virus-like disease agents in South Africa. In view of the fact that they possess different sensitivities and specificities, this leads to incomparable and inconsistent diagnoses of the viral status of propagation material.
This project has as its goal a comprehensive survey of existing diagnostic test kits, both locally produced and imported, for grapevine viruses and virus-like disease agents. Once such a list has been compiled, all kits will be acquired and evaluated for reproducibility, sensitivity and specificity, using supplied control samples. Both ELISA and PCR-based kits will be evaluated.