Stress caused by plant virus infection in presence of heavy metals

Abstract

Due to increased heavy metal content in Ukrainian soils, purpose of the work was to study relations between presence of heavy metals in soil and their effect on development of phytoviral infection. Experiments were conducted in Nicotiana tabacum - Potato virus X model system. Soluble salts of Cu, Zn and Pb were deposited in soil separately at the limiting concentrations simultaneously with virus infection of plants. Infected plants grown on usual soil showed symptoms of disease on 16 dpi as well as plants grown on soil with metals deposited. Contrary, combined effect of heavy metals and virus infection caused an increase of chlorophyll content comparing with control plants, therefore effect of heavy metals partially compensated the effect of virus infection on experimental plants.

Keywords

• potato virus x (pvx)
• nicotiana tabacum cv. trapeson
• heavy metals
• maximum permissible concentration
• chlorophyll
• photosynthesis
• stress