Abstract
BackgroundWheat is the most consumed cereal crops in the world infected by several pathogens and pests causing significant losses. The most threatening pathogens are fungi which cause serious diseases on roots, leaves and heads as one of the most threatening pathogens in specific wheat-growing countries. This study aimed to identify and evaluate the prevalence of damping-off fungal pathogens in different wheat fields at Basra and Maysan provinces.ResultsDisease incidence determination and fungal isolation were carried out from two sites at Basra province (Al-Qurna and Al-Madinah) and three sites at Maysan province (Al-Amarah, Kumit, Ali Al Sharqi and Ali Al Gharbi). Al-Qurna fields had the highest disease incidence (32%), while Ali-Alsharqi fields had the lowest one (11%). Fourteen fungal genera were identified. Rhizoctonia solani had the highest appearance (21.6) and frequency (20.20%) percentages followed by Fusarium solani (16.11,14.01) percentages and Macrophomina phaseolina (12.2,11.1) percentages. Seed treatment with R. solani (Rs1 isolate) showed significant decrease in germination (56.6%) compared to F. solani and M. phaseolina treatments. Seed treatment with R. solani (Rs1 isolate) showed significant decrease in germination (56.6%) compared to F. solani and M. phaseolina treatments.ConclusionsThese results revealed the prevalence of wheat damping-off disease in all examined fields at both Basra and Maysan province; the highest disease incidence was seen in Basra wheat fields (Al-Qurna fields); the identification of fungal pathogens showed that the most isolated fungus was R. solani followed by F. solani and M. phaseolina. Laboratory experiments showed the pathogenicity of isolated fungi which varied according to the isolate type.
Highlights
Wheat is the most consumed cereal crops in the world infected by several pathogens and pests causing significant losses
Isolation and identification of fungi The results of isolation and identification showed different species of fungi isolated from wheat roots and soil of wheat fields in Basra and Maysan province, 16 species belongs to different fungi from wheat roots, and 13 genus of fungi have been isolated from the soil
Effect of R. solani, F. solani and M. phaseolina treatment on germination of wheat seeds The results showed a significant variation in the effect of fungal isolates on the germination of wheat seeds in Petri dishes (Table 5, Fig. 10)
Summary
Wheat is the most consumed cereal crops in the world infected by several pathogens and pests causing significant losses. Wheat plants are susceptible for different disease pathogens infecting root, leaf and head causing serious diseases and greatly affect productivity all over the world. Fusarium graminearum, which causes crown rot, and Bipolaris sorkiniana, the common root rot pathogen, and Gaeumannomyces graminis, the cause of take all disease, are among the main causes of wheat root diseases These fungi can affect seed germination and cause seed blight (Tunali et al 2008). Wheat is infected with Fusarium spp., which causes damage to young grains, seedlings, roots, crowns and base stems, causing rotting, and in some cases, infecting the head and affecting the quality of grains and causing losses of up to 50% (Nicol et al 2004). The present research focuses on the identification and prevalence evaluation of wheat damping-off fungal pathogens in different fields at Basrah and Maysan provinces
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