ALSV-Based Virus-Induced Gene Silencing in Apple Tree (Malus × domestica L.)

Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is a fast and efficient tool to investigate gene function in plant as an alternative to knock down/out transgenic lines, especially in plant species difficult to transform and challenging to regenerate such as perennial woody plants. In apple tree, a VIGS vector has been previously developed based on the Apple latent spherical virus (ALSV) and an efficient inoculation method has been optimized using biolistics. This report described detailed step-by-step procedure to design and silence a gene of interest (GOI) in apple tree tissues using the ALSV-based vector.