Detection of virus-associated dsRNA from leafroll infected grapevines

A simple procedure is described for reproducible detection of double stranded (ds) RNAs in leafroll infected grapevines. The procedure involves the extraction of tissues by a medium which preferentially yields dsRNA. The RNA is purified by CF11 cellulose chromatography and gel electrophoresis. The dsRNAs varied in size in different vines. In the cases tested they did not cross hybridize and occurred at higher concentrations in stem cortex tissues than in leaves. They were not detectable in healthy vines, could be passaged with the disease to healthy plants by graft inoculation and removed by virus elimination procedures. These observations indicated that the dsRNAs are of viral origin and that a number of viruses are associated with the grapevine leafroll disease.