The vast majority of viruses that infect plants—approximately 70% to 90%—possess single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) as their genetic material. Most of these are positive-sense ssRNA viruses, meaning their genetic material can function directly as messenger RNA (mRNA) upon entering the plant cell, allowing for immediate translation by the host's ribosomes. A notable example is the Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV), which was the first plant virus to be discovered.

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