CURRENT VIEWS ON HOST COMPONENTS INVOLVED IN PLANT VIRUS INTERCELLULAR TRAFFICKING.

Plant virus diseases are one of the major threats to the world food supply and mitigation of crop losses caused by viral pathogens will be necessary if the stability and abundance of the food supply is to be sustained. In the 21st century, new threats of agroterrorism with the use of plant viruses as potential biological weapon are expected to boost existing problems and to demand improved remedies. In the past, disease due to viral pathogens was controlled using breeding to introduce natural resistance genes into crop plants or protective immunization (cross protection) when prior infection with one virus affords protection against closely related and more damaging ones (Pennazio et al., 2001; Campbell et al., 2002). Proven strategies for combating viruses include also chemicals to kill vectors or to stimulate systemic acquired resistance responses (Oostendorp et al., 2001; Campbell et al., 2002). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]