Dr. Nasser Beikzadeh, Dr. Afshin Hassani-Mehraban, Dr. Seyyed Fazel Fazeli Kakhki,
Volume 14, Issue 2 (4-2025)
An important part of the floriculture industry, which has a high ornamental value and has become an essential part of people's daily lives, are cut flowers. The Netherlands, Colombia and the United States are the major producers of cut flowers, and more than 80% of the production of these flowers in Iran is concentrated in Tehran, Fars, Ilam and Khuzestan provinces, respectively. Alstroemeria, an important ornamental plant, is used both as a cut flower and for pot cultivation. Its flower production is rapidly increasing in Europe and other parts of the world, and due to its long vase life, high yield and productivity, and wide color variety, it has become one of the most commercially successful ornamental cut flowers in the United States, Britain, the Netherlands, and Japan. The area under cultivation and production of alstroemeria in Iran in 2023 were 42 hectares and approximately 45 million branches, respectively, and Tehran province had the highest area under cultivation and production. This plant is cultivated in Iran through rhizomes and mostly in greenhouse conditions. Alstroemeria has been reported to be infected with diseases such as root rot, wilt and viral diseases. Virus infection of alstroemeria is a serious concern because this plant mainly reproduces vegetatively. Among plant diseases, viral diseases are the most important problem for alstroemeria and can significantly reduce the quality and quantity of the plant and limit global trade. So far, 24 alstroemeria-infecting viruses have been reported in the world.
