--- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ---
Agdia, Inc. (Elkhart, IN), a leading provider of plant pathogen diagnostic products and services, has commercialized an ImmunoStrip® assay for detection of Tobacco streak virus (TSV).
Tobacco streak virus is a member of the Ilarvirus genus and is distributed worldwide. This virus has a wide host range and is known to infect nearly 200 plant species, causing considerable crop losses in asparagus, cotton, peanuts, tomatoes, soybean and sunflowers. Moreover, it infects multiple ornamental species, including Aster, Dianthus, Chrysanthemum, Hosta, Impatiens, Petunia and Rosa. Symptoms vary between hosts and include mosaic, necrotic streaking, stunting, and apical necrosis and leaf deformation, whereas some infected plants may be asymptomatic.
Tobacco streak virus is vectored locally by several species of thrips (order Thysanoptera). Several weedy species of plants can serve as reservoirs of inoculum in the absence of economically important hosts. Long-distance spread of TSV takes place via the national and international movement of propagative plant materials and, in some instances, infected seed.
Agdia’s TSV ImmunoStrip® was screened against multiple isolates from Asia, Africa, Europe, South America and the United States. It detected 100% of isolates screened and showed no cross-reactivity with 40 viruses known to infect TSV host plants. The ImmunoStrip® does cross-react with Strawberry necrotic shock virus (SNSV). Agdia developed this product to detect TSV in plant foliage.
Agdia’s ImmunoStrip® platform provides end-users with a high level of utility. Samples can be tested in the field by those having no previous diagnostic experience, and results are visualized within 30 minutes. The introduction of Agdia’s TSV ImmunoStrip® brings their total offerings to 41 products on this platform. High levels of market demand for field-deployable, plant pathogen detection products have driven this output, and Agdia maintains they will continue to expand their product catalog.
The TSV ImmunoStrip® is sold in kits of 5 or 25 strips, and kits include everything necessary to perform a test. Agdia provides a one-year warranty on purchased kits. Diagnostic assays for the detection of TSV are also available in enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) formats. For more information on these products, in addition to Agdia’s full catalog of pathogen detection products, visit the company’s website at www.agdia.com, e-mail info@agdia.com, phone 1-574-264-2615 (toll-free 800-622-4342) or fax 1-574-264-2153.
ImmunoStrip® is a registered trademark of Agdia, Inc.