As has previously been reported, when potted diseased trees with severe symptom are kept at 37°C, the symptom disappears in two weeks. Results in line with this finding have been obtained by means of heat treatments of scion-woods.
Diseased scion-woods were obtained in summer. These were placed in a thermostat at 40±1°C for 12 hours, 15 hours, 18 hours, 21 hours, 1 day, 1.5 days, 2 days, 3 days, or 4 days; at 45±1°C for 6 hours, 12 hours, 18 hours, 1 day, 2 days, 2.5 days, or 3 days; at 50±1°C for 3 hours, 6 hours, 12 hours, 18 hours, 1 day, or 1.5 days. Then they were cut and grown in pots in a greenhouse. All the plants treated at 40°C for 12 hours, 15 hours, or 18 hours, at 45°C for 6 hours, or at 50°C for 3 hours developed shoots showing severe symptom. None of the plants treated at 45°C for 2.5 days, or 3 days, or at 50°C for 1 day, or 1.5 days developed shoots showing any symptom.
Diseased scion-woods obtained in summer were immersed in a bath at 45±1°C for 4 hours, 6 hours, or 8 hours; at 50±1°C for 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, 1 hour, 1.5 hours, 2 hours, 3 hours, or 4 hours; at 55±1°C for 1 minute, 3 minutes, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, or 40 minutes. Then they were cut and grown in pots in a greenhouse. All the plants treated at 50°C for 20 minutes, or at 55°C for 1 minute developed shoots showing severe symptom. None of the plants treated at 50°C for 4 hours, or at 55°C for 40 minutes developed shoots showing any symptom.
It is suggested that the virus becomes inactivated in the affected shoots by treatment for 2.5 days at 45°C, or 1 day at 50°C, in dry heat; for 4 hours at 50°C, or 40 minutes at 55°C, in hot water.
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