Studies on Virus Diseases of Some Medicinal Plants

Diseases of medicinal plants in general has received less attention, although they are very important for the production of important drugs used in various kinds of human diseases. A comparative study on 8 isolates of mosaic virus infecting Datura spp. revealed that there are different viruses causing mosaic in this crop. In addition, a graft transmissible virus causing little leaf was also noted. Leaf curl virus infecting Eucalyptus citriodora affect the quality and quantity of the oil produced by this plant. Mosaic, Yellow vein mosaic, ringspot and phyllody are the virus diseases reported on Rauwolfia serpentina. Three sap-transmissible viruses causing mosaic disease on S. aviculare, S. laciniatum and S. khasianum have been found to affect the production of the solasodine content in the infected plants.