Development and inter-laboratory evaluation of real-time PCR assays for the detection of pospiviroids.

Assays based on real-time PCR (TaqMan) that can detect a number of viroids in the genus Pospiviroid have been developed and evaluated. The assays are designed for detecting viroids from tomato leaf material but detection from other solanaceous hosts of these viroids has been confirmed. These methods have been validated by nine laboratories and comprise a reliable set of assays for the detection of CEVd, TASVd, CLVd and a generic assay which will detect the six viroids of concern to European tomato growers: PSTVd, TCDVd, CEVd, CLVd, TASVd and CSVd.