Final answer:
The Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) causes tobacco mosaic disease, which results in malformed leaves, yellowing, and stunted growth in various plants including tobacco and tomatoes, leading to decreased production and economic losses.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) negatively affects the growth of plants by causing tobacco mosaic disease (TMD). Infected plants display a variety of symptoms, including malformation of leaves, yellowing, and stunted growth. The virus can infect a range of hosts, including tobacco, tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers, often leading to significant losses in crop productivity and quality. For instance, the disease can cause lower bean production and unproductive plants in bean common mosaic virus infection, or wavy yellow lines and colored splotches on leaves in the case of rose mosaic disease in ornamental roses.
Viral diseases like TMV also have economic repercussions due to reduced crop yields. TMV was the first plant virus to be discovered, viewed with a transmission electron microscope in 1935, and remains a concern in agriculture today. Secondary effects of plant viral infections may include hyperplasia, hypoplasia, or cell necrosis which further disrupt the normal functioning and appearance of the plant tissue.