Book Reviews · Buchbesprechungen

German speaking students of plant sciences have been faced for a long time with a serious problem – the lack of a teaching book in molecular plant virology in German. The book presented by the three authors solved this problem. On 250 pages they give an overview about the actual topics in this quickly developing field of natural sciences. The clear structure of the book demonstrates that the authors have a long experience in teaching plant virology. The book consists of three parts and 17 chapters, each of them being supported by a list of extending literature. The general part starts with a short introduction in history of plant virology and definitions of viruses as well as related disease agents. Methods in plant virology are described in more detail, especially serological methods. The following special part deals with the structure of viruses and their evolution. Special emphasis is made on classification of plant viruses. This part is closed by a brief overview about strategies of virus replication and mechanisms of virus transmission. The third part of the book is denoted to the molecular biology of the different virus groups and ends with measures of controlling virus spread, including elimination of viruses by in vitro as well as genetic methods. The molecular biology of viruses fits in 100 pages. Having in mind the huge number of different viruses this volume seems to be rather small. Nevertheless, the authors wrote a highly informative description of the molecular features of most plant viruses. Included are some of their most important host plants as well as vectors. For several viruses the economical importance is described and in some cases sources of resistance are mentioned. Figures illustrating genome structure of the viruses are given for several genera, especially DNA-viruses. Viruses investigated in detail only recently, like nanoviruses, have been included too. The chapters are completed by a glossary with most important terms of molecular biology. ‘Molecular plant virology’ has to be understood as an introduction into this science. The price is moderate enough that libraries as well as interested students can afford it.