What is a virus ?
Viruses are pathogenic organisms of very small dimension, invisible to optical microscopes. They can’t multiply themselves out of a living cell, they are obligatory parasites.
Read moreLa virologie : tout savoir sur les virus et viroïdes
Pages:
Pages:
Since their discovery, viruses have fascinated researchers by their extreme characteristics. Virology, the science of viruses, helps to understand the diseases they cause to human beings. Plant viruses or phytoviruses represent a serious problem in the agricultural sector where they cause important damage.
What is a viroid and how does-it differ from a virus?
Viroids have been discovered in 1971 by the specialist of plant diseases T. O. Diener. These particles, smaller than viruses, are made of a single stranded RNA and do not have protein coat (capsid).
Read more
Why study plant viruses ?
Virus diseases of plants have an important economical effect. They cause a reduction of the plant’s strength and very often modify the aspect of certain plant organs. In all cases, a decrease of more or less importance in yield is observed.
Read moreHow to classify viruses ? What nomenclature to use ?
Virology is a recent subject. One could expect a structured nomenclature and a well codified use. This is not the case, but the subject benefits from mitigating circumstances.
Read moreWhat is a vector ?
In plant viruses, contaminations usually occur through an animal vector such as an insect which will transport the virus from an infected plant and inoculate it to a sound plant.
Read more