Nitrogenous components in healthy and potato virus Y-infected solanum and pepper leaves

ABSTRACT

Solanum nigrum var. judaicum and Capsicum annum cv. California wonder plants at the 4-6 and 5-7 leaf stage, respectively, were artificially infected with potato virus Y, then examined at 5, 10, 15, 20 and 40 days postinfection. Considerable differences were observed in the concentration of the various nitrogenous components of the two hosts. Investigations showed that solanum leaves affected by PVY had a higher total nitrogen content than the leaves of the healthy plants as a result of increasing amino acids, ammonia, amide, total soluble nitrogen and total insoluble protein content. PVY lowered total nitrogen content compared with healthy leaves resulting from a drop in all nitrogenous components, but amide and total insoluble proteins increased