Senchugova N. Viral disease of the main volatile-oil crops in Crimea region

This thesis is dedicated to study the spread of viral infection in the three main volatile-oil crops of Crimea region: rose, mint and lavender. By visual testing of plants a wide variation (form 0,5 to 86%) of viral infection was shown, which was dependent on the species, varieties, geographical location and age of plantations. The dominant types of symptoms for viral infection have been established: mosaic pattern and chlorosis for rose, thinning and reduction of internodes for mint and curling and yellowness for lavender. Intensive serological investigations of the viruses isolated from rose, mint and lavender have been carried out for the first time. The indicator-plants which are accumulating these viruses were selected and methods for purification and concentration of viral particles were established. Highly purified and specific (to viruses isolated from rose, mint and lavender) antiserum has been achieved. Wide spread of complex infection by the mixture of rod shape, filiform and spherical viruses related to tobamo-, potex-, poty-, luteo-, cucumo-, carlo-, and alfamo- viruses was detected using assayl host, electron microscopy and immunoenzyme analysis. It was shown that thermo treatment and chemotherapy does not relieve original stock from viral infection. Rose and lavender plants obtained from meristematic cultures contain up to 80% of viral antigen. A technology for volatile-oil crops sanitation from viral infection has been improved. Specific antiserums for three isolated viruses have been passed to agricultural farms together with test system for express analysis of viral particles by immunoassays.