Title: Development of a Regional Viral Indexing
and Certification Program for Plant Propagation Materials in The Middle East
PREFACE
These
methods for detection of plant viruses/viroids was compiled as part of the
research output by scientists who participated in the U.S. AID MERC project
entitled “Development of a Regional Viral Indexing and Certification
Program for Plant Propagation Materials in the Middle East”. The following
scientists served as project leaders for their laboratories: Dr. Hanokh Czosnek,
Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel, Dr. Ghandi Anfoka, Al-Balqa’
Applied Univ., Jordan, Dr. Naim Iraki, Bethlehem University, Palestinian National
Authority, Dr. Yusuf Abou Jawdah, American University of Beirut, Drs. Hamed
Mazyad and Ahmed Shalaby, Agriculture Research Center, Cairo, Drs. Mohamed
Marrakchi and Hatem Fakhfakh, University of Tunisia, Mr. Arifi Abdelaziz,
Ministry of Agriculture, Morocco, Dr. A. Hatimi, Ibnor Zohr University, Agadir,
Morocco, Dr. M. “Sid” Sedegui, Department of Agriculture, Oregon,
Dr. Ahmed Hadidi, USDA/NIH, and Drs. Douglas P. Maxwell and Mark K. Nakhla,
University of Wisconsin-Madison. These scientists were ably assisted by their
students and technical support staff.
One objective of this grant was to provide methods
for detecting the most important groups of viruses and viroids associated
with these crops. These methods would then be used by scientists involved
in certification programs and plant protection departments. Besides the development
and testing of these methods, there was a substantial effort to train personnel
within each country.
The MERC scientists hope that others will find
these methods useful, and if there are questions about the methods, you (as
the reader) should contact the individual scientists. You are free to make
copies of these methods as our goal is to make virus detection methods more
standardized among the various plant protection agencies.
4 February 2006
Douglas P.
Maxwell and Christopher Martin
Department of Plant Pathology
1630 Linden Drive
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI 53706 USA
GRANT INFORMATION
Development of a Regional Viral Indexing and Certification Program for Plant Propagation Materials in the Middle East
Project number: MERC, M20-023; Grant number: PEG-G-00-98-0009-00
U.S. Agency for International Development; Bureau for Global Programs, Field Support and Research; Center for Economic Growth and Agricultural Development
Dates: April 1998 to December 31, 2005
Participating
Institutions:
Egypt:
Dr. Hamed M. MAZYAD, Director, The Plant Pathology Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt. Phone: 202-5724893; FAX: 202-5723146; E-mail: hamedmazyad@link.net
Dr. Ahmed A. SHALABY, Research Scientist, The Plant Pathology Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt. Phone: 202-5724893; E-mail: asha@intouch.com
Israel:
Dr. Hanokh CZOSNEK, Professor, Department of Field and Vegetable Crops, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel. Phone: 972-8-9481249; FAX: 972-8-9468265; E-mail: czosnek@agri.huji.ac.il
Palestinian
Authority:
Dr. Naim IRAQI, Institute of
Molecular Biology, Bet Lehem University, Bet Lehem, Palestinian Authority.
Phone: 972-2-6765258;
E-mail: niraki@bethlehem.edu
Jordan:
Dr. Ghandi ANFOKA, Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Agricultural Technology Al-Balqa' Applied University, Al-Salt 19117, Jordan. Phone: 962-5-3530469. E-mail: anfoka@cyberia.jo
Lebanon:
Dr. Yusuf ABOU JAWDAH, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon. Phone: . E-mail: abujawgf@aub.edu.lb
Morocco:
Abdelaziz ARIFI and Mohamed "Sid" SEDEGUI, National Agronomic Research Institute (INRA), BP: 415 Rabat, Morocco. Phone: 212 (37) 770955; FAX: 212 (37) 770049; E-mail: msedegui@oda.state.or.us
Tunisia:
Dr. Mohamed MARRACKCHI, Laboratory of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Tunisia,Tunis, Tunisia. E-mail: mohamed.marrakchi@fst.rnu.tn
Dr. Hatem FAKHFAKH, Laboratory of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Tunisia,Tunis, Tunisia. E-mail: hatem.fakhfakh@fsb.rnu.tn
USA:
Dr. Douglas P. MAXWELL, Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA. Phone: 608-262-1995; FAX: 608-263-2626; E-mail: dpmax@plantpath.wisc.edu
Dr. Mark K. NAKHLA, Researcher, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA. Phone: 608-262-3456; FAX: 608-263-2626, E-mail: mknakhla@plantpath.wisc.edu
Dr. Ahmed HADIDI, Emeritus Lead Scientists, the National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture, ARS, Beltsville, MD 20705-2350, USA. Phone: 301-774-6051; FAX: 301-260-9459 ; E-mail: ahadidi@yahoo.com
Goals:
Overall goal: Establish standardized virus detection methods for the Middle East, particularly Egypt, Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Jordan, Lebanon, and Tunisia.
Specific Objectives:
1. Develop reliable, sensitive detection methods for the major viruses infecting selected propagative materials, i.e., potato, tomato, banana, grapes, and stone fruits.
2. Establish a collection of virus antisera and virus detection probes for distribution to private sector and to government institutions in addition to those involved in this project.
3. Establish a Plant Pathogen Detection Lab in the Palestinian Authority, Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia.
4. Standardize methods among the virus testing labs by building confidence in the virus detection methods through training and exchange visits and meetings between scientists from the different collaborating countries.
5. Expand collaborative efforts between Arab countries and Israel.
6. Implement a fee-based structure for programs where appropriate.
For more information about this project, please contact Mark K. Nakhla (mknakhla@plantpath.wisc.edu) or Douglas P. Maxwell (dpmax@plantpath.wisc.edu).
Updated, Feb 14, 2006