Development of Reliable Diagnostic Techniques for Banana Bract Mosaic Virus and Field Survey in Taiwan

Potyvirus musae (Banana bract mosaic virus, BBrMV), a member of the genus Potyvirus, can cause yield losses of up to 70% and is considered an important quarantine pathogen in international banana germplasm exchange. With the global movement of banana germplasm having increased in recent years, there is an urgent need for effective and scalable diagnostic tools for BBrMV detection in Taiwan. In this study, the recombinant BBrMV coat protein was expressed in Escherichia coli and used as an antigen to produce monoclonal antibodies. A specific monoclonal antibody, E9C11, was developed, and the optimal sampling strategy and extraction buffer were also established. The E9C11-based ELISA assay demonstrated sufficient sensitivity and specificity for large-scale indexing applications, including seedling certification and quarantine inspection. Furthermore, a field survey was conducted to understand the current infection status of BBrMV in Taiwan. The results indicated a low prevalence of BBrMV in commercial banana production areas, suggesting that the virus is not yet widespread but remains a potential threat. This study provides both a practical diagnostic tool and updated epidemiological data for effective BBrMV management in Taiwan.