The low virus titer in woody plant tissues and the presence of inhibitor compounds such as polyphenols, tannins and polysaccharides are common difficulties that compromise purification of plant viroids from their woody hosts. A simple, reliable method of RNA isolation using CF11 cellulose column on a microcentrifuge tube scale for detecting Apple scar skin viroid (ASSVd) in apple was developed. Total RNA extracted from leaf, woody bark and the fruit skin was used for reverse transcription. RT-PCR products could be detected from RNA prepared from dormant woody bark, fruit skin and fresh leaves with both the CF11 cellulose column method and NucliSens extractor in February, August and November. Meanwhile, with the RNeasy kit RTPCR, products were detected only in leaves and not from bark or fruit skin. The PCR product, about 330 base pairs, was analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis. The CF11 cellulose column method was effective for detecting ASSVd. The method enabled the processing of a large numbers of samples of dormant woody bark, leaf and fruit skin of apple.