Bermuda grass with mosaic symptoms have been found in many parts of Iran. No serological correlation was observed between two isolates of this filamentous virus and any of the members of the family Potyviridae that were tested. Aphid transmission was demonstrated at low efficiency for isolates of this virus, whereas no transmission through seed was observed. A DNA fragment corresponding to the 3' end of the viral genome of these two isolates from Iran and one isolate from Italy was amplified and sequenced. A BLAST search showed that these isolates are more closely related to Spartina mottle virus (SpMV) than to any other virus in the family Potyviridae. Specific serological assays confirmed the phylogenetic analysis. Sequence and phylogenetic analysis suggested that these isolates could be considered as divergent strains of SpMV in the proposed genus Sparmovirus.

Background and Aims: Celery mosaic virus (CeMV) is one of the causal agents of viral diseases in celery (Apium graveolens). CeMV is a member of the Potyvirus genus in Potyviridae family. The virus is naturally transmitted by aphids in a non-persistent manner. During growing season 2006-2007 viral disease symptoms were observed in celery fields grown in Tehran Province (Bage daneshkade, Mohamadshahr, Varamin, Asgarabad, Hesarak and Savojbolagh) and suspected CeMV infected plants were sampled. Methods: Serological assays with specific antisera against CeMV and other potyviruses revealed that 5.42% of the samples were infected with CeMV in Tehran province. Biologically purified CeMV isolate was mechanically inoculated on test plants for host range studies. Results: The virus caused chlorotic local lesions on Chenopodium quinoa and C. amaranticolor. It also produced mosaic, vein clearing and leaf deformations symptoms on Apium graveolens. Molecular mass of CeMV coat protein was estimated about 38.36 kDa using SDS-PAGE and was approved by western blotting using CeMV specific polyclonal antibody. A DNA fragment of about 650bp was amplified by RT-PCR using CeMV infected crude RNA and universal primer pair for potyviruses coat protein genome. Conclusion: This is the first study on this virus in Iran (Tehran Province).

Background and Aims: The causal agents of viral lettuce big vein disease are two viruse, Lettuce big vein associated virus (Varicosavirus) and Mirafiori lettuce virus (Ophiovirus). These viruses have coat proteins of similar size but have different morphologies and serologically unrelated.The purpose of this study was to distinguish and detect LBVaV and MiLV in lettuce fields in Tehran Province. Patients and Methods: A total 344 samples with mosaic and big vein, head stunt, leaf deformation and motteling symptoms were collected from lettuce fields in Tehran Province.Using DAS -ELISA and specific antiserum for MiLV (DSMZ, AS-0798) and RT-PCR for LBVaV. Positive samples in ELISA and RT-PCR were inoculated on index plants,including Chenopodium quinoa, Chenopodium amaranticolor, Lactuca sativa and Nicotiana occidentalis p1. Results:The results of ELISA and RT-PCR about MiLV showed that, virus is transmitted on C.quinoa and produced chlorotic local lesion but about LBVaV, RT-PCR showed that C.quinoa and C.amaranticolor were infected and the virus caused chlorotic local lesion. Extraction of total RNA with three methods using RNAWIZ buffer, Guanidium isothiosianat buffer and Qiagen kit showed that exteraction with RNeasy plant minikit (Qiagen company) is better for RT-PCR. RT-PCR with LBVaV and MiLV specific primer pairs (were designed with Navaro et al. 2004) were performed and the fragment length were amplified for LBVaV and MiLV respectively 296bp and 469bp. The sequence nucleotides of CP of LBVaV was determined and had high similarity with other isolates in gene bank. Conclusion: This is the first report of occurrence of these viral diseases in lettuce in Iran (Tehran Province).

Abstract:Potato virus Y a type species of the genus potyvirus infects several crops in the family solanaceae. PVY isolated from field infected peppers was identified on the basis of host reaction, serological and molecular characterization. The result of ELISA, Immunoblot electrophoresis and Immuno Capture Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (IC-RT-PCR) indicated that pepper isolate of PVY shares the reported properties of the PVY but in host range studies some differences were observed. For this reason the sequence analysis was performed .This is the first report of PVY incidence in Iran pepper fields.