Comparison of Wheat Mosaic Detection Methods (Bymovirus and Furovirus) Using Molecular Markers and Serological Tests

This research evaluates two detection techniques for Soil-Borne Cereal Mosaic Virus (SBCMV) and Wheat Spindle Streak Mosaic Virus (WSSMV), both soil-borne and transmitted by Polymyxa graminis. Between 2009 and 2011, laboratories optimized RT-PCR protocols using specific primers (c2F/c1R for WSSMV and FURO2-F/R for SBCMV) and conducted ring tests to measure reproducibility and sensitivity. RT-PCR showed over 95% reproducibility with few false positives, whereas ELISA achieved ≥89% reproducibility with some false negatives. A simplified RT-PCR method (“Jus GES”) was excluded due to lower sensitivity. The study recommends DAS-ELISA as the reference method for variety registration in France, due to its robustness, adequate sensitivity, and significantly lower cost, with RT-PCR available as a backup when sera are defective.