Fox, Adrian Richard (2019) The application of diagnostics in plant health virology. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

Using conventional diagnostic methods to test for plant viruses requires knowledge of the pathogens likely to be associated with a host species. This knowledge can either be applied when using a targeted test method (e.g. ELISA or PCR) to identify required tests, or in bioassay, through knowing which viruses will transmit into which assay host. In the last decade High Throughput Sequencing (HTS) has revolutionised plant virology diagnostics, however, the knowledge and skills of the diagnostic virologist are needed to interpret the results of sequencing and to investigate the myriad of novel viruses reported using this technique. This thesis presents a body of published work and an accompanying linking document focussing on the development and application of these diagnostic technologies in a plant health/biosecurity setting. The thesis explores the use of diagnostic technologies in virus detection and discovery, but also in supporting research applications such as gathering the data necessary to support plant health risk assessment or carry out epidemiological studies on vector efficiency. The publications include a review of new virus records from the United Kingdom over a 35-year period, discussing the factors driving virus discovery such as changes in trade, research focus, and diagnostic technologies. Two case studies are presented which investigate diseases of unknown aetiology utilising contrasting approaches to infer the causal agent/s of disease, one utilising biological demonstration, the other experimental design and statistical analysis. Two publications discuss the evaluation and validation of diagnostic techniques. The final publication describes an investigation into the relative efficiency of transmission of potato virus Y and potato virus A by a range of aphid species. The accompanying linking document discusses each publication in the context of the current literature, as well as discussing alternative approaches to inferring causation where traditional biological approaches may not be possible.

Item Type:	Thesis or Dissertation (PhD)
Subjects:	Q Science > QR Microbiology > QR355 Virology S Agriculture > SB Plant culture
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Plant viruses, Virus diseases of plants -- Diagnosis, Potato virus Y
Official Date:	June 2019
Dates:	Date Event June 2019 UNSPECIFIED
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	School of Life Sciences
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Sponsors:	Great Britain. Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs ; Great Britain. Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board ; Scotland. Scottish Government
Format of File:	pdf
Extent:	various leaves : illustrations
Language:	eng

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