Prediction of the Preservation of Lyophilized Tobamoviruses

Abstract

ABSTRACTEleven tobamovirus strains were lyophilized in the form of leaves, plant sap with and without protectant, as well as protected purified preparation. Accelerated storage test at 28–81 °C for 30 to 240 days was applied to the freeze-dried samples. The infectivity was tested on a local host. The survival decrease was represented as pseudo-first order reaction and predictions for stability of lyophilizates at real storage conditions (4 °C) were developed by means of Arrhenius equation. The preservation depended on the lyophilic form and was strain specific. Some strains were expected to loose 90% of the survival after 1–3 years while others—after more than 25 years in unprotected variants. The preservation as protected purified preparations will be more than 60–70 years. Among the tested strains of tomato mosaic virus the highest longevity for the strains of group “2” after Pelham was predicted. The accelerated storage test and the prediction facilitate the maintenance of a plant virus collection.