Performance of ready-to-use isothermal detection kits in Plum pox virus (PPV) detection

Plum pox virus (PPV), one of the most significant diseases affecting stone fruit trees, has been extensively studied worldwide since its initial detection in 1917, with various diagnostic approaches explored. This study investigates the performance of colorimetric and real-time diagnostic kits developed by DOSA Information and Communication Technologies Ltd. for detecting PPV under isothermal conditions. These isothermal diagnostic kits, developed and optimized with domestic resources, stand out as highly practical diagnostic tools, leveraging an advantage of containing proprietary primer sets that enable direct testing of RNA from infected plants, independent of existing isothermal methods. In this study, the isothermal diagnostic kits enabled successful amplification of PPV at 65°C within 60 minutes, without cross-reaction with potential host genomes or other viruses that could co-infect. The colorimetric and real-time diagnostic kits demonstrated detection sensitivities of [10-4 and 10-5 ng/µL] of PPV RNA, respectively, meeting the desired standards for PPV detection. These kits also facilitated effective amplification of PPV-M, D, and T strains, commonly found in Turkey. The application of these kits, especially in field settings and areas with limited laboratory infrastructure, should be encouraged. This successfully developed and optimized isothermal diagnostic platform could also be adapted for the detection of other significant plant viruses, offering a strategic advantage in managing viral diseases in agricultural regions such as Türkiye.