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In 2011 and 2012, several cucurbit-growing regions of Iran were surveyed and samples with symptoms similar to those induced by Cucurbit chlorotic yellows virus ( CCYV) were collected. The pathogen was transmitted to cucumber and melon under greenhouse conditions by whiteflies ( Bemisia tabaci). RT- PCR using designed CCYV-specific primer pair ( CCYV-F/ CCYV-R) resulted in amplification of the predicted size DNA fragment (870 bp) for the coat protein ( CP) gene in samples collected from Boushehr, Eyvanakay and Varamin. Nucleotide sequences of the CP of the three Iranian CCYV isolates were compared with five CCYV isolates obtained from GenBank and analysed. Phylogenetically, all CCYV isolates clustered in two groups; Group I is composed of five non-Iranian isolates from China, Lebanon, Japan, Sudan and Taiwan, and the three Iranian isolates formed Group 2. Among Iranian isolates, the Eyvanakay isolate clustered in a distinct clade with the Boushehr and Varamin isolates. A phylogenetic tree based on amino acid identity of CP showed that CCYV was closely related to Lettuce chlorosis virus ( LCV), Bean yellow disorder virus (Bn YDV) and Cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus ( CYSDV). This is the first report of CCYV in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zucchini yellow mosaic v irus (ZYMV; family Potyviridae, genus Potyvirus) causes high yield losses to cucurbits in many parts of the world. The virus was detected for the first time in Iran in 1988, but the isolates have not been characterized. To study the genetic and biological diversity among Iranian ZYMV isolates, a set of twelve isolates, obtained during an extensive survey conducted from 2003 to 2006 in the major cucurbit-growing areas, were characterized. An experimental host range study of these isolates (referred as Iran-1 to Iran-12) revealed some variation in their biological properties. The nucleotide sequences of the genomic portion spanning the C-terminal part of NIb and N-terminal part of coat protein (CP) coding region were determined and compared with other available sequences. The identity among Iranian ZYMV isolates at the amino acid level reached 95.6–100%. The Iranian ZYMV isolates did not form a compact cluster in the phylogenetic tree, and the phylogenetic analyses and the estimation of genetic distance indicate that the Iranian ZYMV group consists of several independent introductions that evolved separately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]