Our laboratories


Biological analyses laboratory

Location :
Québec Research Center
Contact :
Richard Hogue : Email
Vocation :
1.1 Accredited testing of important pathogens of potato seeds. The Laboratoire d’analyse biologique (LAB) has been certified by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) since 2003 to realise accredited testing of several importants pathogens of potato seeds. LAB’s analysts are accredited by the CFIA’s Potato program, two times per year, to certify the diagnostic quality and the conformity of the certified analysis realized at IRDA. The accredited analysis realized at IRDA are : - TAS-ELISA protocol, CFIA v. 5.0, to detect Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus, causal pathogen of the bacterial ring rot of potato; - DAS-ELISA and TAS-ELISA protocols, CFIA v.5.0, to detect potato viruses. The viruses detected are: PVA, PVM, PVS, PVX, PVY, PLRV and PotLV; - TAS-ELISA protocol, CFIA v. 5.0, for the detection of potato mop top virus (PMTV) ; - Reverse-electrophoresis protocol, CFIA v. 5.0, for the detection of the potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd). 1.2 Post-harvest testing for the detection of potato pathogens The expertise of the LAB’s personal in the domain of the detection of plant pathogens contributed to the development of molecular analysis protocols using PCR and RT-PCR amplification techniques for the analysis of potato samples in less than 3 days. LAB’s technicians run post-harvest testing for the detection of PVY and PLRV viruses, important pathogens of seed potatoes. The post-harvest detection of PVY and PLRV viruses is realized by a RT-PCR protocol certified by IRDA. Samples are cored from tubers right after the harvest or after a storage period and the result of the RT-PCR analysis is usually obtained in less than 3 days. The post-harvest detection of PVY and PLRV viruses is also realized by an Enzyme Linked ImmunoSorbant Assay, ELISA, protocol certified by IRDA. The dormancy of the tubers must be broken by a chemical treatment, then tubers must be stored under sprouting conditions till sprouts can be sampled. The results of post-harvest testing done with ELISA protocol are obtained after a delay of 8 to 12 weeks after samples have been submitted to LAB. The LAB’s analysts realize testing for the detection of potato bacterial ring rot using an amplification PCR protocol certified by IRDA. The result of the PCR analysis is obtained in less than 3 days The LAB’s analysts also realize testing for the detection of several potato viruses, such as PVA, PVM, PVS, PVX et PMTV, and the detection of Potato Spindle Tuber Viroid (PSTVd), using amplification RT-PCR protocols certified by IRDA. The result of the RT-PCR analysis is obtained in less than 3 days
Main equipments :
The LAB has the equipment needed to ; prepare and store samples submitted to testing: cool rooms, refrigerators, freezers, balances, mixers, blenders, centrifuges, pH meters. run immunological ELISA testing: incubators, microplates washer and reader, epifluorescence microscope run molecular amplification by PCR or RT-PCR testing: thermocyclers, electrophoresis apparatus, CCD imaging-documentary system

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