During 2003-2004 a virus database was initiated while writing the book Viruses and Virus Diseases of Poaceae (Graminae).

It has been progressively grown and improved by Hervé Lapierre (INRA) and Olivier Panaud (CNRS).

In september 2004 a migration to web was made by Marc Lapierre, so that this database can be available online for anyone and opened to contributors.