The following was stated: “Suspect. Treat plants with RRD with hydrogen peroxide. According to members of the RRD Task Force there is no credible data to show that hydrogen peroxide will help a plant infected with RRD. In fact, hydrogen peroxide has the ability to damage plants.”
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H.Kuska Comment:

Concerning the "credible data" part the above is strictly correct, but there is credible data that externally applied hydrogen peroxide can contribute to the plant's ability to fight viruses in other plants. But before we look at that part, lets get rid of the "has the ability to damage plants". No reference(s) was/were given. Of course hydrogen peroxide in too high a concentration can damage plants.

A recent field of study concerns the chemistry of "RNA silencing pathway in the plant defense against viruses" as a means that plants utilize to defend themselves against viruses.

Two chemicals that are easily available to the home gardener that have been shown by controlled published research to instigate the RNA silencing pathway in the plant defense against viruses are aspirin and hydrogen peroxide.

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I will give two examples for hydrogen peroxide.

1) http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0076090

Title: "The Role of Hydrogen Peroxide and Nitric Oxide in the Induction of Plant-Encoded RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase 1 in the Basal Defense against Tobacco Mosaic Virus"

Published in 2013.

This is a very complete (and complex) scientific study so I will just extract the following:

" Pretreatment with H2O2 or SNP significantly decreased TMV susceptibility, and these leaves did not show any visible systemic symptoms."

In the Discussion section the following appears: "This signaling pathway may be a general pathway common to plants."

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Example 2.

http://www.akademiai.com/doi/abs/10.1556/APhyt.46.2011.1.1

Title: " Inhibition of virus replication and symptom expression by reactive oxygen species in tobacco infected with Tobacco mosaic virus "

“In spite of the enormous information from research on genetics of plant disease resistance, the question still remains unresolved: what is directly inhibiting or killing pathogens and suppressing symptoms in resistant plants? This is particularly true for resistance to viral infections. Here we show that externally applied reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) or ROS-producing (O 2·− [superoxide] and H2O2) chemical systems infiltrated into tobacco leaves 2 hours after inoculation suppress replication of Tobacco mosaicvirus (TMV) in the susceptible Samsun (nn) cultivar. This was determined by a biological and a real-time PCR method. Infiltration of leaves of the resistant Xanthi (NN) cultivar with the ROS-producing chemicals and H2O2 significantly suppressed local necrotic lesions (i.e. the hypersensitive response) after inoculation of tobacco leaves with TMV. Accordingly, an early accumulation or external application of ROS, such as O 2·− and H2O2, in tobacco may contribute to the development of resistance to TMV infection.”

Henry,

What 'class' of viruses does TMV fall in and what is the structure of that class?

Thanks.

Ann, I expect that you can answer your own question utilizing Google. Then, please explain why you feel that it is pertinent to my points about: "RNA silencing pathway in the plant defense against viruses" as a means that plants utilize to defend themselves against viruses."

On my web page about rose rosette virus I make the following statement:

" Apply a possible immune system booster. Until controlled scientific studies disprove these "possibilities", after cutting off the suspected cane, one could try boosting the immune system of the rose by either of the two methods below: "

https://sites.google.com/site/roserosettevirus/

Back to the original article.

The following was stated: ” There is no credible literature that I have found to suggest the use of hydrogen peroxide is an effective disinfection agent for viral pathogens.”

H.Kuska comment: please see the Center for Disease Control link below.

http://www.cdc.gov/hicpac/Disinfection_Sterilization/7_0formaldehyde.html

If one is interested in adhering to organic standards see the link below:

http://www.extension.org/pages/45133/what-materials-can-be-used-for-sterilizing-pruning-shears-and-other-equipment-under-the-organic-stan#.VTWKkO8tHcc

Henry,

Right now all I have access to is the search engine, no papers. And our ag library shelves are closed for the summer while they change the library to less library space. So...no, I'm sorry I can't do this with Google scholar. Unlike you, I don't have any answer to the question I asked you.

Rest assured, I wouldn't intentially waste your time. And won't in the future.

Ann, I was suggesting Google, not Google Scholar. Regarding your statement: " Unlike you, I don't have any answer to the question I asked you."

I do not see what your question has to do with the topic so I do know what specific information you would like..