Pathology Services
Your One-Stop Shop Plant Diseases Laboratory
- Service include ELISA and PCR tests for various diseases common to fruit.
- Pathologists and Virologists highly skilled.
Scope of Services
Pathology manages plant improvement according to the classical plant improvement route i.e. Nucleus, Foundation and Mother Units by performing all virus tests as required by the Plant Improvement Scheme.
Services include ELISA and PCR tests for various diseases common to fruit. The laboratory is ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited by SANAS for the ELISA technique of various viruses and has on board a highly skilled pathologist and Virologist.
The unit also handles imports and exports of plant material to other countries as a service and will do on-farm evaluation and investigation of plant growth problems.
The SAPO laboratory test for the following viruses using ELISA tests:
- Prune dwarf virus (PDV)
- Prunus necrotic ringspot virus (PNRSV)
- Apple mosaic virus (ApMV)
- Apple chlorotic ringspot virus (ACLSV)
- Apple stem grooving virus (ASGV)
- Grapevine virus A (GVA)
- Grapevine virus B (GVB)
- Grapevine leafroll virus (GLRaV-1, -2, -3)
- Grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV)
- Grapevine fleck virus (GFkV)
The SAPO laboratory test for the following viruses using PCR tests:
- Apple stem grooving virus (ASGV)
- Apple stem pitting virus (ASPV)
- Prune dwarf virus (PDV)
- Prunus necrotic ringspot virus (PNRSV)
- Plum viroid 1 (PVd1)
- Grapevine leafroll virus (GLRaV1, -2, -3)
Virus Elimination
Virus elimination using heat therapy and in vitro meristem culture is performed on infected pome and stone fruit as well as grapevine cultivars to rid them of economically important viruses as prescribed by the Plant Improvement Scheme.
Relevant Viruses for the South African Certification Scheme in Pome and Stone fruit
October/ November is an ideal time to test your stone and pome fruit
for the most critical viruses.
Which viruses are so important?
