Specific Antibodies to Detect Tamarillo leaf malformation virus (TaLMV) in Tamarillo

In Colombia, yields of tamarillo are seriously affected by a complex viral disease known as virosis. This pathology was first reported in 1991 in the north of Antioquia and currently affects all tamarillo growing regions in the country. Recent works have demonstrated the association of two potyviruses (potyviridae) with this disease: Potato virus Y (PVY) and Tamarillo leaf malformation virus (TaLMV, proposed species). Specific diagnostic tools are required for early asymptomatic detection of these viruses and tamarillo certification programs. In this study, we report the obtention of TaLMV specific antibodies using a 15 residues peptide mimicking the N-terminal coat protein. Specificity and sensitivity of the anti-TaLMV antibodies was determined by ELISA and dot-blot using recombinant protein and synthetic peptides as controls. The usefulness of these antibodies was validated from a preliminary trial of TaLMV detection in plant samples obtained from tamarillo crops in eastern Antioquia and results were compared with a TaMLV specific coat RT-PCR detection protocol.