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Waite Diagnostics

• Services Provided
• Diagnosis by Polmerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
• Procedure for Submitting Samples

Documents:

• Price List  (pdf 40kB)
• Waite Diagnostics Service Agreement  (doc 473kB)
• 2008 Accreditation Permit (pdf 62kB)

Waite Diagnostics is a business registered through Adelaide Research and Innovation (ARI) and operates from the former laboratory of Professor Bob Symons, the first Director of Waite Diagnostics, in the School of Agriculture, Food & Wine at the Waite Campus. Professor John Randles is the current Director of Waite Diagnostics.

Waite Diagnostics is able to test for 12 viruses and phytoplasmas, as well as other organisms responsible for grapevine diseases such as crown gall. The service is offered nationally and internationally with samples being sent from all over Australia, The United States of America, New Zealand, Italy, Argentina and South Africa.

Testing is carried out by Dr Nuredin Habili, an experienced grapevine virologist, who is also involved in the research and development of these tests. He has over 20 years' experience working with grapevine viruses.

The aim of Waite Diagnostics is to utilise the best technology from the most recent research for direct application to rapid, sensitive and reliable detection of grapevine pathogens. Click here to download the Highlights of ICVG 2006 Meeting (pdf 2MB). Click here for a list of recent publications (pdf 36kB).

Dr Nuredin Habili can be contacted on (08) 8303 7102 or by email nuredin.habili@adelaide.edu.au

Services Provided

Waite Diagnostics provides a range of diagnostic services for the detection of grapevine diseases utilising the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR).
We also perform DNA typing for grapevines and other crops using RAPDS.

Price List

A copy of the price list for the PCR testing is available from here.

• Price List (pdf 40kB)

Please Note: all diagnostic services are subject to a service agreement.

• Waite Diagnostics Service Agreement (doc 473kB)

Diagnosis by PCR:

• Grapevine yellows phytoplasma and other phytoplasmas (two-step PCR)
• Agrobacterium vitis (crown gall)
• Xylella fastidiosa (Pierce's disease) - must be quarantined in Australia

  Grapevine viruses:

• Closteroviridae
  • Grapevine leafroll associated viruses (GLRaV) (six virus types: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 9 are detected)
  • Grapevine rootstock stem lesion associated virus (GRSLaV) - a leafroll virus in Red Globe table grapes, detected by two-step PCR.
• Nepoviruses
  • Grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV)
  • Tomato ringspot virus (ToRSV) (An American fanleaf associated nepovirus of grapevines) - we also assay clover seeds for this virus
  • Arabis mosaic virus (ArMV). (A European fanleaf associated nepovirus of grapevines)
  • Raspberry ringspot virus (RRSV)

  Rugose wood viruses of grapevines:

• Note: It is very important to test for these viruses (see list A1 on our price list (pdf 40kB)) before top-working.

• Vitiviruses
  • Grapevine virus A (GVA), associated with Kober stem grooving disease
  • Grapevine virus B (GVB), associated with Corky bark disease (using Nested PCR assay)
  • Grapevine virus D
• Foveaviruses
  • Rupestris stem pitting associated virus (RSPaV) strain 1 and strain 2
• Maculavirus
• Grapevine fleck virus (GFkV), strains A and B
• Grapevine Red Globe virus

Procedure for submitting grapevine material for testing

1. Interstate Material

A. Permit requirements

Plant material must be certified by the customer as being free of certain pests and diseases before entering South Australia. You will need a plant health certificate (PHC), which must be enclosed with your samples. To get the certificate contact your local Department of Agriculture and notify them of your intention to transport grapevine samples to South Australia. 

Samples from Phylloxera-free areas of NSW and Victoria should be accompanied with the attached Interim Accreditation permit from PIRSA.

Samples from Phylloxera infested areas (including Queensland) should directly be sent to: Crop Health Services, Institute for Horticultural Development, 621 Burwood Highway, Knoxfield, Victoria 3189 (Att. Dr. Brendan Rodoni, Telephone: 03 9210 9356, email: brendan.rodoni@dpi.vic.gov.au). The samples will then be delivered to us as nucleic acid extracts. Alternatively, you can contact us to send you a kit to extract samples on site and send the extracts directly to us.

• Select one cane of 120 mm in length from each of 3-5 different randomly selected vines from the basal end next to the cordon.  No leaves please, but basal green canes would be ok. (Color prints or digital photos from diseased vines (leaves) sent as JPEG will assist us in diagnosis).
• Place all 3-5 canes (as a single sample) in a single self-sealed plastic bag and mark the bag clearly. Keep samples cool. Fill in the attached sample information sheet. Sign a copy of the attached Service Agreement and send it with samples.

DO NOT TREAT THE CANES WITH CHINOSOL OR ANY OTHER FUNGICIDE.

C. Handling & Delivery

Grapevine samples must be delivered in self-sealed, secured and durable plastic bags. Include the PHC and the accreditation letter with the samples. Send samples via Express Post or an overnight courier to the address shown on the attached information sheet.

D. PCR Charges

This test is performed pursuant to licensing arrangements with Applied Biosystems under patents owned by F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. The above charges include a 15 % royalty payable to Applied Biosystems (U. S. A.) for the commercial use of the PCR technique for diagnosis. Each grapevine sample can be assayed for up to 12 viruses. A universal nested PCR assay for the detection of Phytoplasmas is also available.

2. South Australian Material

Follow the above instructions except that the permit will not be required.

3. Overseas Material:

Follow the above instructions (Item 1) and also attach the permit from AQIS that we will fax to you. Upon arrival, the overseas canes will be inspected and have to be fumigated by Quarantine at the client’s cost. All plant material sent from overseas must be sent directly to Ms. Kiri Chinnock, Nursery Stock officer, AQIS , Sir Donald Bradman Drive, Export Park, South Australia, 5950 (Att. Dr. N. Habili). Please specify the species name of the plant sample sent using a company letter.