Abstract
This chapter provides overview information about all known orchid viruses and the novel detection techniques used to quickly and accurately detect them. Precise diagnosis and detection of orchid viruses are very important for controlling viral diseases. Orchids are propagated mainly via vegetative tissues, providing easy and rapid paths for viral transmission. Nowadays, about 60 orchid-infecting viruses have been reported. In the past several years, our group has identified and characterized the causal agents of four newly emerging Phalaenopsis orchid viral diseases and one Dendrobium orchid viral disease that occurred in Taiwan. The techniques used to detect viruses in orchids include viral nucleic acid amplification and the serological methods. Currently, our group has worked with other research groups over the past few years to develop some rapid, portable and on-site virus detection methods such as using reverse transcription-loop mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) coupled with the integrated microfluidic system and nano-structured plasmon resonance immunosensor with specific viral antiserum.