Abstract
Evolution is the process by which the genetic structure of the population of an organism changes with time. The two main processes that may modify the genetic structure of the population of an organism are selection and random genetic drift. This chapter reviews the current understanding of the plant virus phylogenetics, the rapidly expanding state of knowledge of plant virus population genetics, and the mechanisms of evolutionary change; it also presents the results of analyses of the tobamoviruses and the luteoviruses. The widespread cultivation of transgenic plants carrying viral genes may increase the pace of virus evolution and increase the frequency with which new and damaging viral diseases arise in crops. The speed with which this evolutionary adventure will impact agriculture is uncertain because, although most large plant virus laboratories are involved in developing crop plants with viral transgenes, very few laboratories are funded to study the possible effects of such plants on the environment and on natural viral populations
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