Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) is a positive-sense single stranded
RNA virus that infects a wide range of plants, especially
tobacco and other members of the family
Solanaceae. The
infection causes characteristic patterns, such as "
mosaic"-like
mottling and discoloration on the
leaves (hence the name). TMV was the first
virus ever to be discovered. Although it was known from the late 19th century that an
infectious disease was damaging tobacco crops, it was not until 1930 that the infectious agent was determined to be a virus.