Snake River alfalfa virus, a tentative endornavirus infecting alfalfa (Medicago sativaL.) in Washington State, USA

Here we report, for the first time, an occurrence of Snake River alfalfa virus (SRAV) in Washington state, USA. SRAV was recently identified in alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) plants and western flower thrips in south-central Idaho and proposed to be a first flavi-like virus identified in a plant host. We argue that the SRAV, based on its abundance in alfalfa plants, genome structure, presence in alfalfa seeds, and seed-mediated transmission is a member of the Endornaviridae family.