Abstract
Alfalfa cultivars grown in 14 provinces in Iran were surveyed for the relative incidence of peanut stunt virus (PSV) during 2013-2016. PSV were detected in 41.89% of symptomatic alfalfa samples and a few alternate hosts by plate-trapped antigen ELISA. Among other hosts tested only Chenopodium album, Robinia pseudoacacia and Arachis hypogaea were found naturally infected with PSV. Twenty five isolates of PSV were chosen for biological and molecular characterizations based on their geographical distributions. There was not any differences in experimental host range of these isolates; however, variation in systemic symptoms observed on Nicotiana glutinosa. Total RNA from 25 of viral isolates were subjected to reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis using primers directed against coat protein (CP) gene. The CP genes of 25 Iranian PSV isolates were either 651 or 666 nucleotides long. The nucleotide and amino acid identities for CP gene among Iranian PSV isolates were 79.3-99.7 and 72-100%, respectively. They also shared between 67.4 and 82.4% pairwise nucleotide identity with other PSV isolates reported elsewhere in the world. Phylogenetic analyses of CP gene sequences showed formation of a new subgroup comprising only the Iranian isolates. Natural infection of a few alternate hosts with PSV is reported for the first time from Iran.