SEROLOGICAL REACTIVITY OF SUGARCANE-MOSAIC VIRUS

Abstract

Sugarcane-mosaic infective juice was obtained from infected sugarcane plants of the variety B.H. 10-12. The juice was centrifuged at high speed and the sediment was suspended in phosphate buffer and inoculated into rabbits by the intravenous and intraperitoneal routes. Specific antibodies were demonstrated when the rabbit sera were absorbed with healthy cane juice and had titers of 1/128 or 1/256 when tested against mosaic-infected juice by the precipitation technique. The antisera did not react with healthy cane juice after absorption. Normal rabbit serum did not react with the healthy or infective juice used in the tests.