Application of Airbrush-Inoculation Technique to the Screening of Anti-Plant-Viral Substances

I. Inoculation with TNM

Abstract

For the purpose of obtaining efficient and uniform inoculations in the screening test of anti-plant-viral substances, airbrush-inoculation technique was examined by using the combination of TMV and Nicotiana tabacum var. Xanthi. The optimum conditions were: 1) 4kg/cm² gauge pressure of the air compressor, 2) 20cm distance of airbrush nozzle to leaf surface, 3) 0.5 seconds exposure period under airbrush of the inoculum, 4) 1% by weight of 400-500 mesh carborundum in the inoculum, and 5) 0.88μg TMV in 1ml of the inoculum. These conditions are also suitable for the inoculation of TMV to 4cm-tall seedlings of Lycopersicon esculentum. Aabomycin A, blasticidin S, bihoromycin and sodium arginate were tested for their anti-viral activities using this inoculation technique. Among these, the emulsion of aabomycin A was the most effective for the inhibition of symptom development. The efficiency of this inoculation technique is much higher than that of the rubbing method.