Lily symptomless virus (LSV) and lily mottle virus (LMoV) are detected reliably with ELISA in bulbs of Asiatic hybrids stored at 0-2 degrees C for at least 2-3 weeks after lifting prior to testing. If this protocol was applied to Lilium longiflorum-cultivars and Oriental hybrids, however, it generally failed in the detection of LMoV. This phenomenon was virus dependent since LSV, cucumber mosaic virus and lily virus X were easily detected. The detection ofLMoV in L. longiflorum-cultivars greatly improved after storage of scales at 20 degrees C for 2-3 weeks under white fluorescent light (12-16 h/day, 13-16 W.m(-2)). This protocol was also applicable to LSV in L. longiflorum, but not for LMoV in Oriental hybrids.