Sensitive Detection of Artichoke Latent Virus in Globe Artichoke Field Samples by One-step RT-PCR or Tissue Imprint Hybridization

Artichoke latent virus (ArLV) is one of the most economically important and widely distributed viruses of artichoke in the Mediterranean area. The availability of a sensitive and reliable diagnostic method is a prerequisite for evaluating the sanitary status of globe artichoke plants. We report here two molecular methods for the detection of ArLV. The first consists of RNA extraction from infected leaf tissue using a commercial kit, followed by a one-step reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) protocol, using primers designed in this investigation. The second is based on the tissue imprint hybridization technique, using a denatured digoxigenin-labelled ArLV DNA probe. Both methods were effective in detecting ArLV in late globe artichoke plant samples.