*2.2.1* Tobacco mosaic virus *(TMV)*

*Tobacco mosaic virus* (TMV) is the first ever virus to be identified. The virus infects more than 350 plant species, including at least 125 crop species such as tobacco, tomato, pepper, eggplant, potato and cucumber [28]. *Tobacco mosaic virus* has been found to infect pepper in Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Zambia (East Africa) and (Nigeria, Ghana) West Africa [29, 30]. The virus survives in infected plant materials for months or years and multiplies in living plant tissue but can remain dormant in dead plant tissue, retaining its infectiveness [31]. Tobacco mosaic virus spreads mainly through contact between plants, infected seeds and by mechanical means but not insect vectors. Typical symptoms of TMV infection include chlorotic leaves, mosaic patterns on leaves, leaf distortion and stunted growth usually associated with reduced fruit size [32].
