FIRST REPORT OF Carnation Vein Mottle Virus(CVMV)) INFECTING CARNATION IN IRAN*

Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) can be infected by several viruses that some are specific to carnation flowers. Vegetative propagation of carnation, can easily disperse viruses by infectied cuttings. During the year 2007, viral-like symptoms were observed on carnation in Mahallat greenhouses. 142 suspected samples from glass houses, with symptoms of reddish- purple flecks and spots on leaves, necrosis of old leaves, mild mottling, etched and ring patterns of top leaves were collected. Collected samples were tested antisera against three main viruses: carnation vein mottle virus (CVMV), carnation etched ring virus (CERV) and Carnation ring spot virus (CRSV) applying double antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DAS-ELISA) method. The antisera obtained from Plant Research International of Netherlands. The DASELISA results were considered positive when a absorption was at least three times higher than healthy (negative controls) in triplicate. Samples reacted with CVMV and 36 samples with CERV, any Samples reacted. Of 142 samples tested, 9(6.3%) were infected whit CVMV, 36 (25.3%) samples positive against CERV and 4 samples reacted with both antisera (CERV and CVMV). On the basis of serological results, CVMV was found infecting carnation plants in Mahallat. This is the first report of CVMV infecting carnation in Iran.