The Poaceae are one of the most important plant families in terms of the number

of species, worldwide distribution, ecosystems and as ingredients of human

and animal food. It is not surprising that they support many parasites including

more than 100 severely pathogenic virus species, of which new ones are being

regularly described.

This book results from the contributions of 150 well-known specialists and presents

for the first time an in-depth look at all the viruses (including the retrotransposons)

infesting one plant family.

Taxonomic and agronomic descriptions of the Poaceae are presented, followed

by data on molecular and biological characteristics of the viruses and descriptions

up to species level. Virus diseases of field grasses (barley, maize, rice, rye, sorghum,

sugarcane, triticale and wheats), forage, ornamental, aromatic, wild and lawn

Gramineae are largely described and illustrated (32 colour plates). A detailed index

of viruses and taxonomic lists will help readers in their search for information.

Foreworded by Marc Van Regenmortel, this book is essential for anyone with

an interest in plant pathology especially plant virology, entomology, breeding

and forecasting. Agronomists will also find this book invaluable.

The book was coordinated by Hervé Lapierre, previously a researcher at the Institut

National de la Recherche Agronomique (Versailles-France) and Pierre A. Signoret emeritus

professor and formerly head of the plant pathology department at Ecole Nationale Supérieure

Agronomique (Montpellier-France). Both have worked from the late 1960's on virus diseases

of Poaceae. Pierre Signoret founded the European Working Group on Gramineae viruses

which first met in 1974. Both editors have organized conferences in France. The X^th

European/International conference will be held in 2005 in Belgium.