ABSTRACT
The current system of plant virus classification has evolved over the past decade under the auspices of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) . It is widely used by virologists. especially those involved in diagnostic work and teaching . Since its inception. very few alternatives have been suggested by individual workers. contrary to earlier days when numerous systems appeared in the literature confusing rather than solving the problem of how best to classify viruses (see Chapter 1) .
