Variations in membrane polar lipids of barley leaves infected with three strains of barley stripe mosaic virus and with poa semilatent virus

Three barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV) strains (Braunschweig, Hungarian and Russian) and one strain of poa semilatent virus (PSLV) were used in these studies. There was no correlation between virus concentration and severity of symptoms or chlorophyll loss induced by the infection. On the other hand, close relationship was found between the severity of symptoms and losses in galactolipids (mainly in monogalactosyldiglyceride (MGDG), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), sulpholipid (SL)) and chlorophyll contents as well as increases in phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylinositol (PI) concentrations. Only slight decrease was found in sterol content after infection. It would seem that the severity of symptoms was associated with the extent of polar lipid changes in the host cell. The results obtained with PSLV infection of choline treated barley plants suggest that the above lipid changes could not be reversed by the application of this phospholipid precursor.