Plant Virology

Viruses that infect plants are responsible for reduction in both yield and quality of crops around the world, which are of great economic importance. This has provided the impetus for the extensive research into the molecular and cellular biology of these pathogens and into their interaction with their plant hosts and their vectors. However interest in plant viruses extends beyond their ability to damage crops. Many plant viruses, for example tobacco mosaic virus, have been used as model systems to provide basic understanding of how viruses express genes and replicate. Others permitted the elucidation of the processes underlying RNA silencing, now recognised as a core epigenetic mechanism underpinning numerous areas of biology. This book attests to the huge diversity of research in plant molecular virology. Throughout the book the focus is on the most recent, cuttingedge research, making this book essential reading for everyone, from researchers and scholars to students, working with plant viruses.