Radha Panthi and Mukunda Ranjit

DOI

ABSTRACT

Mandarin trees grafted on trifoliate orange showing symptoms of citrus tristeza virus (CTV) such as yellowing of leaves, interveinal chlorosis and stem pitting were subjected to virus testing by double antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay (DAS-ELISA). Results with optical density (OD405) of more than 0.5 have confirmed the presence of CTV. Culture of apical meristems with few leaf primordia ranging from 0.2 to 0.5 mm in diameter has given rise to virus-free plantlets (OD405 of 0.16) after eight weeks. This technique of meristem culture may be useful to eliminate viruses from elite mandarin plants.