Development of a PCR-test system for detection of the potato spindle tuber viroid

The Potato spindle tuber viroid infects potato plants, causing a serious damage to agriculture by reducing yields. Therefore, there is a need to identify this pathogen. Viroids are RNA molecules and so cannot be detected with the immunological methods and the classical PCR. The aim of this work is to develop a method for detection of the Potato spindle tuber viroid. Primers have been selected for the reverse transcription reaction and the subsequent PCR, the annealing temperatures and the size of the amplified fragment have been calculated. Primers and reaction conditions have been tested on plant material. PCR products of the calculated size have been obtained. Determination of their nucleotide sequence confirmed the identification of the genetic material of the Potato spindle tuber viroid. Thus, this PCR test system can be used for detection of the Potato viroid and become the basis for detection of other vegetable crops’ viroids.