Virus infected plants can display a wide range of symptoms. The same plant virus can infect other plant hosts with different symptoms. The whole plant can be stunted (dwarf-like) and infected leaves can show abnormal colorations like mosaics and yellowing. Very often infected leaves have a rolling or curly appearance.The yield of crop plants can be severely reduced by a virus infection. However, the age of the plants, the viral strain and many other factors are affecting both yield and symptoms of infected plants.

Examples of plant viruses would include Tobacco plant virus and cucumber mosaic virus. Tobacco plant virus is a RNA virus that infects plants, especially tobacco. Cucumber mosaic virus has a wide range of hosts and attacks a great variety of vegetables, ornamentals, and other plants. Among the most important vegetables affected by cucumber mosaic are peppers.

Another way of plant virus transmission is through neighbouring plants by mechanical wounding which occurs when plants are handled by humans. Several viruses can transmit through their plant parts themselves such as plant seeds and pollen. Contaminated tools containing plant virus would also spread the virus to other plants when in contact.

Currently, there is no chemical control for viral-affected plants. But, there are definitely ways that we can control the plant virus transmission. There would be removing symptomatic plants, controlling the vector problem and also better plant husbandry technique.

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