An ontogenetic study of the stem pitting was carried out, using as a model system the peduncle of flowers and fruits of sweet orange cv. Pêra infected by a very severe isolate, Capão Bonito, of Citrus tristeza virus (CTV). Anatomical and ultrastructural analysis revealed five phases of this process. It starts with the localized appearance of chromatic cells in the phloem parenchyma, hypertrophy of companion and cambial cells and overall disorganization of the phloem and deposition of a dense material. The next step is characterized by the invasion of the xylem by an abnormal mass of phloem parenchymal cells formed by the disorganized proliferation. These changes lead to the third phase, where xylem ring is interrupted by the invading abnormal phloem proliferation, which produces undifferentiated cells with thin cell wall. The irregular activity of the vascular cambium continues followed by the complete degeneration of the xylem complemented by the appearance of dense phenolic deposits. Finally, there is the complete collapse of the xylem in the invaded region, and the corresponding space is occupied by the phloem mass which correspond to the stem pitting.
plant anatomy; Citrus sinensis; transmission electron microscopy