Controlling plant response to the environment: Viral diseases

Publisher Summary Virus diseases cause serious loss of yield and quality in many crop species. The use of genetic or transgenic resistance and RNA silencing has become the best management strategy on a medium-long-term basis. This chapter discuses development and potential use of natural and transgenic resistant varieties. Viral diseases can affect food quality as well as reduce yields, yet quality is also affected by measures such as spraying with pesticides used to control insect vectors. Control mechanisms include use of virus-free seed or propagation material, prevention of infection by phytosanitation, prevention of transmission by vectors, and breeding for resistance. Many cultural procedures used for virus control are aimed at eradicating or altering one or more of the primary participants in the transmission process (vector, virus source plants, and the crop) or preventing their coming together. Pertaining to that, the chapter describes cultural strategies that were developed to impede the spread of soil- and air-borne viruses. In the wake of potential risks associated with virus-resistant transgenic plants, major potential issues of phenotype- and genotype-mediated impacts are also discussed in this chapter.