Characterization of the Zucchini Yellow Mosaic Virus from Squash in Tehran Province

Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) is a potyvirus with a worldwide distribution. This virus causes serious economic losses in Iran in many cucurbits. During ۲۰۰۲-۲۰۰۳, sam-ples were collected from squash fields in Tehran Province. Five isolates (Z۱, Z۲, Z۳, Z۴ and Z۵) were inoculated on ۲۷ species of Cucurbitaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Amarantha-ceae,Solanacae, Leguminosae and Ranunculaceae. Chenopodium quinoa and C. amaranti-color showed chlorotic local lesions. Gomphrena globosa developed necrotic local lesions. Systemic symptoms were produced in the members of Cucurbitaceae and Ranunculus sardous. Z۲, Z۴ and Z۵ caused mosaic symptoms on Phaseolus vulgaris cv. Red Kidney and P. vulgaris cv. Khorram but Z۱ and Z۳ caused chlorotic local lesions.Virus was puri-fied from Cucurbita pepo. Virus particles in immunoelectron microscopy were filamentous flexuous. The molecular weights of coat protein using SDS-PAGE and western blotting were estimated at ۳۲ kDa. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed using one primer pairs designed by Desbiez et al. An approximately ۴۵۸ bp fragment was amplified with a specific primer.