The need for the development of techniques based on the characteristics of the viral proteins and genomic nucleic acids was realized in order to detect, identify, differentiate and quantify viruses in the infected plants/planting materials with or without symptoms of infection.
Chapter 1 Introduction.- 1.1 Microbial plant pathogens as a major limiting factor of crop production.- 1.2 Discovery of viruses and viroids as plant pathogens.- 1.3 Detection of viral and viroid plant pathogens and disease diagnosis.- References.- Chapter 2 Detection of Viral and Viroid Pathogens in Plants.- 2.1 Detection of viruses in plant organs.- 2.2 Detection of viroids in plant organs.- 2.3 Detection of viral pathogens in seeds and planting materials.- 2.4 Detection of viroids in seeds and planting materials.- Appendix.- References.- Chapter 3 Detection of Viral and Viroid Plant Pathogens in the Environment.- 3.1 Detection of plant viruses in environment.- 3.2 Detection of viroids in the environment.- Appendix.- References Chapter 4 Assessment of Variability in Plant Viral and Viroid Pathogens.- 4.1 Assessment of variability in plant viral pathogens.- 4.2 Assessment of variability in viroid pathogens.- Chapter 5 Diagnosis of Viral and Viroid Diseases.- 5.1 Choice of diagnostic tests for viral diseases.- 5.2 Choice of diagnostic tests for viroid diseases.- 5.3 Agencies involved in disease diagnosis.- References.