Detection and distribution of three important lily viruses in Tehran province

Lily (Lilium spp.) from Liliaceae familiy is considered as one of the most important ornamental plants with high economic value. Virus diseases are shown to be as main limiting factor in lily production. During a survey in 2015, a total of 76 symptomatic samples showing mosaic, deformation, chlorosis, reduced growth, necrosis and decline were collected from lily growing greenhouses in Thehran province. Samples were tested for Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) and Arabis mosaic virus (ArMV) using ELISA, biological and molecular methods. ELISA results showed that 45 and 3 samples were infected with CMV and ArMV, and 5 samples were co-infected with the both viruses. The virus infections were confirmed using biological inoculation tests. CMV and ArMV infection were also tested by RT-PCR method using specific primers which resulted to amplification of 1100 and 690 bp DNA fragments, respectively. CMV lily isolates were confirmed to belong to CMV subgroup I using specific primers in RT-PCR assay. Presence of Lily symptomless virus –LSV and Lily mottle virus-LMoV were tested by RT-PCR assay using specific primers which resulted in amplification of the expected 650 bp DNA product corresponding to CP gene region of LMoV, but there was not any DNA amplifications related to LSV. This is the first report on occurrence of ArMV, CMV and LMoV infections on lily in Iran. Detection of virus infection sources using the optimized methods in this study is a crucial practical approach for virus management in healthy lily bulb production in the country.