The orchid flower industry is an important and internationally competitive industry in Taiwan. In order to maintain a competitive edge, the orchid industry in Taiwan, it is essential to produce healthy, virus-free plants for both domestic and export markets. Seven orchid virus antisera and nucleic acid detection primer pairs were developed at TARI and applied a protocol used to screen orchid seedlings and select of virus-free plants. Nucleic acid extraction buffer was formulated and applied to the Rapid RT-PCR assays for detection of four common viruses (Cymbidium mosaic virus [CymMV], Odontoglossum ringspot virus [ORSV], Capsicum chlorosis virus [CaCV] and Cucumber mosaic virus [CMV]) in infected orchid plants. Rapid RT-PCR methods simplified and shortened the process for the detection of viral RNA in diseased orchids. The detection reagents for viral RNA from ORSV and CymMV were transferred to a biotechnology company under a non-proprietary technology license for the further development immunostrips. This allowed for the rapid assay of orchid seedlings, ensuring the production of orchid seedlings free from ORSV and CymMV. The rapid detection methods developed at TARI have high potential for application in orchid breeding and in marketing of virus-free orchid seedlings.

Seven virus-indexing reagents developed at TARI for the screening of orchid seedlings.

• Cymbidium mosaic virus (CymMV)
• Odontoglossum ringspot virus (ORSV)
• Capsicum chlorosis virus (CaCV)
• Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV)
• Carnation mottle virus (CarMoV)
• Orchid fleck virus (OFV)
• Potyvirus (廣效性抗體)