Western Australia
March 14, 2007
Source:
GRDC
A diagnostic test for detecting
wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) in bulk wheat samples is now
available from
AGWEST Plant Laboratories.
Department of Agriculture
and Food (DAFWA) researcher, Dr Geoffrey Dwyer, said the
test was highly specific for WSMV and currently had detection
sensitivity of one infected seed in 1000.
"While the current test is labour intensive, further
modification in 2007 will increase its efficiency and establish
levels of seed infection critical for identifying safe
planting," Dr Dwyer said.
"The coat protein gene sequences of WSMV isolated in Australia
are more than 99 per cent identical, which clearly points to a
single introduction. Movement of WSMV through contaminated wheat
seed is the likely route that has widely disseminated the
virus."
Testing costs $175 and growers need to send one kilogram of seed
to:
AGWEST Plant Laboratories
DAFWA
3 Baron-Hay Court
South Perth, WA 6151
Email:
agwestplantlabs@agric.wa.gov.au |
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