Plant
Pathology
and
Plant
Tissue
Culture -
Many
valuable
contributions
have
been
made
by
plant
tissue
culture
to
problems
concerning
plant
pathology.
One
outstanding
success
is
virus
eradication
by
apical
meristem
culture
and
another
the
result
of
its
application
to
problems
of
plant
tumors,
especially
crown
gall.
It
is
well
known
that
apical
meristems
are:
generally
either
free
from
or
carry
a
very
low
concentration
of
viruses.
Apical
meristem
culture
is
the
only
way
to
obtain
a
clone
of
virus-free
plant
which
can
be
multiplied
vegetatively
under
control
conditions
that
protects
it
from
the
chance
of
reinfection.
The
elimination
procedure
of
the
virus
can
usually
be
improved
by
combining
it
with
heat
therapy
of
the
host
plant
or
the
culture.
Virus
eradication
by
apical
meristem
culture
has
enormous
horticultural
and
agricultural
value,
e.g.
in
the
production
of
plants
for
the
cut
flower
industry,
when
stock
plants
of
registered
line
must
be
maintained
in
as
near-perfect
condition
as
possible.
