Development of a Multiplex Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay for the Simultaneous Detection of Three Viruses in Leguminous Plants

A multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (mRT-PCR) assay was developed for the detection of Clover yellow vein virus (ClYVV), Peanut mottle virus (PeMoV), and Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), which were recently reported to infect soybean and azuki bean in Korea. Species-specific primer sets were designed for the detection of each virus, and their specificity and sensitivity were tested using mixed primer sets. From among the designed primer sets, two combinations were selected and further evaluated to estimate the detection limits of uniplex, duplex, and multiplex RT-PCR. The multiplex RT-PCR assay could be a useful tool for the field survey of plant viruses and the rapid detection of ClYVV, PeMoV, and TSWV in leguminous plants.