The Use of Immunofluorescence for the Identification of Phony Peach Bacterium

Abstract

Antisera were produced against rickettsia-like bacteria (RLB) extracted from roots of peach (Prunus persica) and wild plum trees (P. angustifolia), respectively. The RLB recovered from peach with phony disease symptoms were stained with nonlabeled antisera (to whole cells) and counterstained with fluorescent anti-rabbit globulin conjugate. The antisera were highly specific to RLB from both plum and peach. The immunofluorescence test provides a rapid, reliable method of confirming the identification of the RLB associated with phony peach disease.