VIEW ARTICLE

Techniques

Use of Dienes’ Stain to Detect Plant Diseases Induced by Mycoplasmalike Organisms. June Deeley, Research student, Department of Botany, Royal Holloway College, University of London, Huntersdale, Callow Hill, Virginia Water, Surrey, GU25 4LN, England; W. A. Stevens(2), and R. T. V. Fox(3). (2)Lecturer, Department of Botany, Royal Holloway College, University of London, Huntersdale, Callow Hill, Virginia Water, Surrey, GU25 4LN, England; (3)Plant pathologist, Imperial Chemical Industries Limited, Plant Protection Division, Jealott’s Hill Research Station, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 6EY, England. Phytopathology 69:1169-1171. Accepted for publication 5 March 1979. Copyright 1979 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-69-1169.

Application of a 0.2% solution of Dienes’ stain to hand-cut or freezing-microtome sections indicated mycoplasmalike organisms (MLO) in the phloem of infected plants. The stain appeared to be specific for MLO diseases, including those of spiroplasma etiology, and gave no reaction in tissues of plants infected by other pathogens. The procedure is quick and could be of diagnostic value.