Plant viruses in European Agriculture: Current problems and future aspects

Plant viruses are an important group of plant pathogens in agriculture worldwide. In Europe, they cause considerable economic damage in different crops including vegetables, grains, and ornamentals. As an example: in the Netherlands the annual costs associated with Tulip mosaic virus in flower bulbs culture are estimated at 9 million Euros. However, over the last 10–15 years this group of plant pathogens has received relatively little attention, especially in comparisons to fungal pathogens and insects