Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is a recently discovered post-transcriptional gene silencing,which is a natural plant antiviral mechanism.It has been developed as a new reverse genetics technique designed to rapidly characterize the function of plant genes.The approach has many advantages compare with normal plant transformation,such as no necessity to construct the transgenic plants,simplicity and rapidness to obtain phenotype.Therefore,VIGS has been used widely in plants for analysis the functions of genes involved in processes such as disease resistance,abiotic stress,cellular signaling,growth and development.This paper reviewed the mechanisms of VIGS,its major procedures,its application to the function analysis of plant gene and current troubles.