Virology
Let’s Look at Plant Viruses
Viruses in Plants
Plants are important.......
• Plants are important to human in every sense
– Food source (True autotrophs)
– Air purifier (Global carbon recycler)
– Aesthetics (Beautify our landscape)
• Plants are important to human in every sense
– Food source (True autotrophs)
– Air purifier (Global carbon recycler)
– Aesthetics (Beautify our landscape)
Plant Viruses
- Plant viruses are named for the disease,symptoms in which they were discovered
– Cucumber mosaic
• Many plant viruses can infect other plant hosts with different symptoms
• Distinguishing Feature of plant viruses :
Frequent occurrence of divided genome
– Can be regarded as mini chromosomes
Morphology and Genome of Plant Viruses
RNA Viruses
Helical
e.g. TMV
e.g. TMV
Segmented
e.g. Barley stripe virus
e.g. Barley stripe virus
DNA Viruses
None known
RNA Viruses
Isometric
e.g. cucumber
Mosaic virus
e.g. cucumber
Mosaic virus
DNA Viruses
Isometric
e.g. cauliflower
Mosaic virus
e.g. cauliflower
Mosaic virus
http://www.virology.net/
Viruses affecting plants - transmission
• Since plants can’t move – how are the viruses transmitted?
– Vectors (e.g. insects)
– Contaminated Tools (pruning and other tools used from one plant to another)
– Plant parts (seeds, pollen and plant itself)
– Vectors (e.g. insects)
– Contaminated Tools (pruning and other tools used from one plant to another)
– Plant parts (seeds, pollen and plant itself)
