Abstract: The ultrastructural aheration of two host plants infected with tomato mosaic virus (ToMV) were studies with transmission electron microscopy. A large number of virus particles were found being accumulated in different cells such as epidermis, parenchyma cells and vascular bundle cells of Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. grown at 25℃ Crystalline inclusions and paracrystal inclusions composed of ToMV particles were observed in the cytoplasm or vacuoles. Some muhivesicular bodies and myeloid bodies protming into the vacuole and vires-specific vesicles associated with the tonoplast were also observed. The ultrastructuml alteration of Nicotiana tabacum L. tv. Xanthinn was similar to that in tomato infected by ToMV grown at 25 cE. In addition to the aggregate inclusions described above, some cytoplasmic angularly-layered aggregates and abnormal chloroplasts with small peripheral vesicles were observed in the parenchyma cells. The densely stained amorphous material was seen in the cytoplasm of N. tabacum L. cv. Xanthiun grown at 35℃. No X- body was observed in the cytoplasm of the ToMV infected tomato and tobacco grown at 25℃ or 35℃. The authors' results suggest a significant difference between the cytopathological effects of ToMV and tobacco mosaic virus (TMV). These characteristic difference may be useful in the virus diagnosis and identification virus infections in plants.

Key words: Tomato mosaic virus, Cytopathology, Electron microscope