ISHS Acta Horticulturae 164: VI International Symposium on Virus Diseases of Ornamental Plants
MECHANISM OF RESISTANCE TO VIRUS INFECTION AND SELECTION FOR RESISTANCE AT THE CELLULAR LEVEL |
| Author: | W. O. Dawson |
| Abstract:
Breeding for resistance is one of the most economical and effective means of controlling virus diseases of plants. However, often this is not possible, usually because of the lack of sources of resistance that can be bred into desirable plants. Perhaps understanding how resistant plants prevent invasion by viruses would allow the development of new procedures to control virus diseases. Some information is available concerning resistance mechanisms. In some cases, resistance occurs at the cellular level where the virus is unable to replicate in cells of a plant. Surprisingly, there are many examples of resistance where the virus is able to replicate at the cellular level but is localized in a small area surrounding the infection site. One type of reaction, often referred to as hypersensitivity because many of the infected cells become necrotic, limits viral spread by induction of compounds that inhibit further spread of the infection. In another type of reaction, the viral infection does not spread from initially infected cells to other parts of the plant due to its inability to move from cell-to-cell. In the "green island" reaction, the ability of the host to exclude virus from certain cells is an inducible phenomenon. These mechanisms and possible novel approaches to development of resistance in desirable plants will be discussed. | |
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