Preimmunization: Applications and Perspectives in Virus Disease control

Abstract

Preimmunization or widely also known as 'cross protection' is the technique used to control the damages caused by the most severe strain of virus or complex of the same virus or other virus or virus like diseases in the susceptible host. In preimmunization, the mild and rapidly multiplying strain of virus is used to protect the host. The technique has been widely used and demonstrated as an alternative for management of virus diseases in various crops. The chapter focuses on the prerequisite conditions for using this technique, mandatory steps involved in employing the preimmunization programme, like various techniques available or being employed in obtaining the mild strain, examples of preimmunization in various crops/ viruses and the experiences in various countries in employing this technique in order to protect the susceptible crops from devastating virus diseases. The success stories of preimmunization programme adopted in various parts of world in order to protect various crops or its failure or breakdown of immunization have also been discussed in this chapter, besides the risks and advantages of this technology.