Inhibiting Effect of Growth Regulators on Plant Viruses

The effect of the growth regulator β–monomethyl ester of itaconic acid (MEIA) on two economically important viruses, namely tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) and tomato mosaic virus (ToMV), was studied in tomato cultivars. Tomato plants of Keti and VK1 lines were infected separately with each virus: Keti with TSWV and ToMV, and VK1 with TSWV, respectively. The tomato plants were treated with MEIA in a concentration of 5x10-4 M after inoculation with TSWV in one variant, and with ToMV in another. An inhibiting effect was established on both viruses – TSWV and ToMV, when the tomato plants were infected and after that sprayed with MEIA solution. These initial results are a good reason to continue with the studies both for the establishment of the effect of growth regulators (MEIA in particular) on virus pathogens and the physiological indexes that prove the decrease in stress and injuries on tomato plants with virus diseases after treatment with MEIA..