Definition

Noun: A viral disease affecting tobacco plants and other members of the Solanaceae family, characterized by a distinctive mottled or mosaic-like pattern of discoloration (typically light and dark green or yellow) on the leaves, which often become curled, stunted, or malformed, leading to reduced crop yield.

Examples of Usage

• The farmer identified tobacco mosaic in his crop by the telltale yellow and green mosaic pattern on the leaves.
• Tobacco mosaic is one of the most well-studied plant diseases in history.
• Researchers use the Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV) as a model system to understand basic virology.

Advanced Usage

• "Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV)": This is the specific name of the pathogen that causes the disease. The term "tobacco mosaic" often refers to the disease itself, while "TMV" refers to the virus.
  • The discovery of the Tobacco Mosaic Virus was a milestone in science.
• The disease is highly contagious and can be spread mechanically through contact with infected plant sap on tools, hands, or clothing.

Variants and Related Words

• Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV) (n): The causative agent of the disease.
• Mosaic virus (n): A broader category of plant viruses that cause similar mottling symptoms in various crops.
• Tobacco necrosis (n): A different viral disease affecting tobacco.

Synonyms

• TMV (when referring to the virus itself)
• Mosaic disease (in a general context, though this can refer to other viruses)

Related Phrases

• Resistant to tobacco mosaic: Describes plant varieties bred or engineered to not contract the disease.
  • This tomato cultivar is resistant to tobacco mosaic.
• Tobacco mosaic symptoms: The visible signs of the infection on a plant.
  • The gardener was trained to recognize tobacco mosaic symptoms early.

Noun

1. a plant disease causing discoloration of the leaves of tobacco plants