Studies on Induced Resistance to Tobacco Mosaic Virus, in Samsun NN Tobacco and Changes in Ribosomal Fractions

Resistance to tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) was activated by various forms of induction in Samsun NN tobacco leaves, and the intensity of the different forms was compared. Induced resistance was highest in leaf tissue between TMV inoculated stripes parallel to the mid-vein and after injection of ethylene maleic anhydride copolymer (EMA), followed by that induced in distal half leaves after inoculating the basal halves with TMV. Resistance in upper leaves following inoculation of the lower leaves with TMV was relatively low, while induction due to lesions caused by ethrel gave an intermediate degree of resistance. Estimation of resistance by size and number of local lesions was correlated with the amount of extractable virus as measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), thus indicating that in the resistant tissue virus replication, and not only the development of necrotic local lesions, is suppressed. An increase in a specific ribosomal fraction (R₂), recovered by a two-step procedure, was observed in tissues where resistance was most intense, i.e., between TMV stripes and after EMA injection. It may be that this specific ribosomal fraction participates in maintaining the resistant state.