zia banihashemi

In spring 2018, yellowing and wilting symptoms were observed on melon plants, Janna variety, in Dashti county, Bushehr province, southern Iran. In order to identify the causal agent of disease, infected tissues were transferred to the laboratory and five fungal isolates were isolated. Based on the morphological characteristic and sequence data of three different loci (ITS, EF-1α, and IGS), the fungi were identified as Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis . The disease assay and race determination were performed in greenhouse using three melon differential hosts including Cha-T (no resistance gene), Cha-Fom1 (contains Fom1 resistance gene) and Cha-Fom2 (contains Fom2 resistance gene). The results of bio-assay experiment reveald that these isolates are belonged to race 1.2 of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis. According to the phylogenetic analysis, the isolates from Bushehr and the other Iranian isolates belonging to VCG0134 were clustered in the same linage and there were no nucleotide differences between them based on DnaSp analysis. Although F. oxysporum f. sp. melonis is known as a fungal pathogen of melon in cold and temperate regions, the presence of this pathogen in the tropical region of Iran is reporting for the first time in this study.

Species of the Botryosphaeriaceae have a worldwide distribution and some species of have been recognized as important pathogens on various trees worldwide. In order to identify the Botryosphaeriaceae species associated with olive trunk diseases, a survey was conducted on trees in Kerman and Mazandaran provinces. In 2016, wood samples were collected from trunk and branches of trees showing dieback and canker symptoms. Fungal isolations were performed from discolored wood tissues on potato dextrose agar (PDA). In this study 56 fungal isolates resembling Botryosphaeriaceae species in colony and culture were obtained from affected trees. All isolates were identified using morphological characteristics and partial sequences of the translation elongation factor 1-α gene (tef-1α) with the primer pairs EF1-728F and EF1-986R. Based on morphological and molecular analysis five species of Botryosphaeriaceae namely, Botryosphaeria dothidea (11 isolates), Diplodia seriata (8 isolates), Dothirella sarmentorum (8 isolates), Lasiodiplodia theobromae (7 isolates) and Neoscytalidium hyalinum (22 isolates) were identified. A pathogenicity trial was performed on detached shoots of olive under greenhouse conditions. Diplodia seriata isolates were the most virulent species based on the length of wood necrosis. This study is the first report of D. seriata and L. theobromae from olive trees in Iran. In addition, this study is the first report of Do. sarmentorum associated with yellowing, canker and dieback symptoms of olive trees.

The Fungi which are able to grow at the temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius are known as thermophilic fungi. So far, no study has been carried out on fungi in desert areas of Iran so the present study was aimed to isolate and identify the fungi in desert areas of Yazd province.

Four desert regions of Yazd province were visited and samples were taken from soil and plant roots. The fungi were isolated by soil dilution method and were cultured on potato-agar extract medium. Genus and species of fungi were identified by valid identification keys.

Eighteen fungi from eight genera vs. Aspergillus, Penicillium, Alternaria, Ulocladium, Stemphylium, Paecilomyces, Rhizopus and Fusarium were identified in this study.

The species of Penicillium and Aspergillus were the most abundant species in desert soils of this province. All fungi identified in this study are reported for the first time from Iranian desert soils.

In summer 2014, plants of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) with crown rot symptoms was observed in the Firozabad and Siakh-Darengon area in Fars Province. The symptoms were very similar to Phytophthora crown rot. Surface-disinfested tissues from the lower margins of the necrotic area were plated on acidified potato dextrose agar (PDA) and Phytophthora selective antibiotic medium (CMA-PARP). To insure the presence or absence of Phytophthora, the soil around the crown of pomegranates was also baited with citrus leaf discs for 48h at room temperature and plated on CMA-PARP. Plates were incubated at 25ºC for 5-7 days, and consistent colonies with white or yellowish cream-colored mycelia and abundant black, globose pycnidia were observed on PDA and no fungi were recovered on CMA-PARP. Conidia were hyaline, one-celled, ellipsoid to elongate, 9.9 to 16.7×2.03 to 4.2 µm (average 13.8×3.05 µm). On the basis of morphology, the causal organism was identified as Pilidiella granati Saccardo (Synonym Coniella granati (Saccardo) Petrak and Sydow). Pathogenicity tests were conducted using detached twigs of pomegranate. 7-mm plugs bearing mycelia from the edge of 10-day-old colonies on PDA were placed under the bark of twig. Noncolonized PDA plugs were used as controls. The wound was covered with parafilm and all inoculated twigs were incubated at 25ºC for 10 days, at which time necrosis was observed. No lesions were observed on the controls. Reisolation of the fungus from the inoculated twigs was attempted to satisfy Koch's postulates. This pathogen has been previously reported as a cause of post harvest decay, fruit rot and dieback of pomegranate in the world and Iran. It has been recently reported to be associated with crown rot in Greece and Turkey, as well as in Iran (Lorestan Province without any pathogenicity test). This is the first report of P. granati from pomegranate plants with symptoms of crown rots in Fars Province. Factors involved for predisposing pomegranate to the fungus need further studies for disease management.

During 2008, the presence of Paecilomyces species was studied in fields in Fars province. Soil samples were collected from 0–20 cm depth. The isolates were recovered using a soil dilution plate method directly from soil. Isolation was performed from soil using malt extract agar, rice agar, oat-meal agar and potato dextrose agar. Anamorphic characteristics such as morphology of conidiophores, phialides, conidia and chlamydospores were investigated. Based on morphological and molecular characteristic the fungus was identified as Paecilomyces marquandii. The species is a new report for Iran. The isolates are kept in fungal collection of the Department of Plant Protection, Razi University, Kermanshah (Iran).

The genus Phaeoacremonium is associated with decline disease of woody plants and with human infections. Members of this genus have broad host range and wide geographical distribution. During 2010, ten isolates of Phaeoacremonium were recovered from vascular tissues of persimmon (Diospyros kaki) trees, showing decline symptoms in Shiraz city. Anamorphic characteristics such as, conidiophore morphology, phialide type and shape, size of hyphal warts, conidial size and shape were investigated. Based on morphological characteristics the presence of Pm. rubrigenum in Iran was documented. To confirm morphological identification, DNA was extracted from isolates using a genomic DNA purification Kit. Region of internal transcribed spacers 1, 2 and 5.8S genes of rDNA were amplified using ITS4 and ITS1 universal primer set. Fragments of 630 bp were recovered from PCR, purified, sequenced, edited and deposited in GenBank. Pm. rubrigenum isolates had an average of 99 % identity with all P. rubrigenum sequences compared. This species is a new report from Iran.

Fungi associated with ascocarps of Terfezia claveryi, Tirmania nivea, T. pinoyi, Picoa lefebvrei and P. juniperi in Iran showed a wide range of genera and species in 94 samples collected during 2005–2009 from different regions including Fars, Systan and Baluchestan, Kerman, East Azarbaijan, Khuzestan, Kermanshah and Hormozgan provinces. Thirty two species belonging to 21 genera were recovered from ascocarps of truffles on two culture media. Penicillium chrysogenum, P. citrinum, P. griseofulvum, P. brevicompactum, P. crustosum, P. oxalicum, Aspergillus carbonarius, A. niger, A. flavus and A. terreus were the most common fungal species isolated on glucose–Czapek agar medium. The number of fungal species recovered on 20% NaCl–Czapek agar were less (4 genera and 10 species). The most abundant fungal genera belonged to Penicillium and Aspergillus. Also, Paecilomyces lilacinus and Scopulariopsis halophilica could grow on Czapek agar medium amended with 20 % NaCl. Other fungal species were not able to grow on this medium.