Detection of Mycoplasma-like Organism in the Infected Paulownia by Indirect Immunofluorescence Microscopy

Using paulownia witches’broom MLO extracted and concerntrated from infected paulownia tissue culture plantlets by differential and discontinuous Percoll density centrifugation as antigen,the antiserum was produced.After the absorption with healthy paulownia extract,the antiserum could effectively detect paulownia witches’broom MLO in different tissues of infected plants with FITC Iabelled sheep-anti-rabbit IgG by indirect immunofluoresence microscopy. Compared with DAPI staining test,a more specific,sensitive and handy method for detecting MLO was developed,which would facilitate the detection of MLO in situ,identification of MLO strains and the diagnosis of plant diseases associated with MLOs.