Methodology of hop latent viroid (HLVd) diagnostics

Viroids belong to the pathogens, which cause important economic losses in quality and quantity of hop cones. Hop (Humulus lupulus L.) as a perennial crop generally grown for nearly twenty years at the same site is seriously endangered by viroid infection. A foolproof diagnostics of viroid infection is necessary for the assessment of healthy state in hop plants.Molecular hybridization (dot-blot) and RT-PCR methods enable a reliable determination of latent hop viroid (HLVd). The methodology consists of the diagnostics as well as its utilization within the evaluation of hop healthy state