Khatabi, B., He, B., and Hajimorad, M. R. 2012. Diagnostic potential of polycional antibodies against bacteriaily expressed recombinant coat protein of Alfalfa mosaic virus. Plant Dis. 96; 1352-1357.Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV), a pathogen of a wide range of plant species, including Glycine max (soybean), is poorly immunogenic. Polycional antibodies were generated against bacteriaily expressed recombinant coat proteins (rCPs) of two biologically distinct AMV strains in rabbits and compared with those raised against native and glutaraldehyde-treated virions of the same strains. Analyses showed that sera against rCPs had comparable antibody titers in indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with those raised against virions when soybean sap containing bomologous viruses served as antigens. Polycional antibodies against rCPs were specific, sensitive, and detected all AMV isolates that originated from soybean fields from geographically different regions of the United States. Comparison of CP genes of these isolates showed 96 to 99 and 96 to 100% nueleotide and amino acid sequence identities, respectively, suggesting that they are all closely related. This was further confirmed by phylogenetic analysis where they were all clustered together along with representative AMV strains belonging to group I. Collectively, our data demonstrate that, despite poor immunogenicity of AMV, polycional antibodies against rCP are effective probes for detection and diagnosis ofthe virus.Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV), the type species of the genus Alfamovirus within the family Bromoviridae, has a broad host range infecting more than 400 plant species in over 51 dicotyledonous families woridwide (7,23), AMV exhibits considerable variability in pathogenieity, transmissibility, and symptom expression (12,23). AMV is an emerging viral problem of soybean {Gly-cine max (L.) Merrill)