Abstract from Fourth National Congress of Virology with International Participation /Days of Virology in Bulgaria Sofia, May 18th - 20th, 2016

Bistra Dikova, Elena Balacheva, Irina Moskova, Vera Aleksieva

Institute of Soil Science, Agrotechnologies and Plant Protection “Nikola Poushkarov”

Institute of Plant Physiology and Genetics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria

The effect of a growth regulator – Monoethyl Ester of the Itacon Acid (MEIA) on two economically important viruses for tomato cultivars was studied: Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) and Tomato mosaic virus (ToMV). Tomato plants, belonging to Keti and VK1 lines were infected separately with each of viruses: Keti with TSWV and ToMV and VK1 with TSWV. The tomato plants were treated by MEIA in concentration 5x10-4 M after being infected with TSWV in one variant and ToMV in the other variant.

The inhibiting effect was established on both viruses – TSWV and ToMV, when the tomato plants were infected and then sprayed with MEIA solution.

These initial results are a good reason to continue the studies both for the establishment of the effect of growth regulators (in particular of MEIA) on virus pathogens as well as for the establishment of the physiological values, proving the decrease of stress and injuries in infected tomato plants, following the treatment with MEIA.