METABOLIC CHANGES IN OKRA (ABELMOSCHUS-ESCULENTUS (L) MOENCH) CAUSED BY YELLOW VEIN MOSAIC-VIRUS

Metabolic changes in nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, reducing sugar, chlorophyll, beta-carotene, organic acids and nitrate reductase activi ty in healthy and yellow vein mosaic virus infected plant parts of okr a were studied. Results show increased amount of NPK and starch in dis eased plant parts, whereas decreased amount of reducing sugar, chlorop hyll and beta-carotene in infected leaves, stems and petioles was foun d. Nitrate reductase activity in infected plant parts was lower than h ealthy parts. Though malic, oxalic, tartaric, fumaric and malonic acid s were identified in different concentrations in healthy leaves, only malic, oxalic and tartaric acids were detected in infected leaves.