Virus-like Particles in Cells of Saffron Flowers.

While studying the reproductive biology of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) grown in the Botanical Gardens of the University of L'Aquila (Italy) (Grilli Caiola et al. 1982) it was found that many cells of the ovary, style and stigma contained particles similar to those found by Russo et al. (1979) in the leaf and root cells of the same Saffron species and identified as latent Bean yellow mosaic virus. Because Saffron cultivation in the Region Abruzzo (Italy) is economically important (Tammaro and De Francesco 1978) it was thought useful to draw attention to the possibility that besides other diseases also viruses could be the cause of reduced production of that crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]