A survey, Pathogenicity assay, and Molecular Identification of the Pathogenic Fungi Associated with Pistachio in Anbar Province, Iraq

Abstract

This study was carried out in 6 different locations in the Anbar Province, between January and February 2021. The locations with higher pistachio cultivation, such as Kabisa, Al-Haditha, Al-Baghdadi, Anah, Al-Qaim, and Rawa were selected to study the prevalence of fungal diseases affecting pistachio crops. Twenty-six distinct fungal isolates were identified, and each isolate was examined for the pathogenicity. Although the level of pathogenicity of each isolate varied from high to moderate, they all caused lesions, damaged vascular tissue, signs of root rot and seed rot in pistachio seedlings. The fungal strains were identified depending on ITS marker. Twelve of the isolates belonged to Fusarium solani, 10 of F. falciforme isolates, 2 of F. oxysporum isolates, while 1 isolate of F. vanettenii and Xylaria sp. The most frequently-occurring species were F. falciforme and F. solani in the Anbar Province. Out of all the studied isolates, Al-Qaim and Al-Baghdadi were the highest pathogenic isolates. The pathogenic effects of F. vanettenii and Xylaria sp. on pistachio plants as well as the existence of F. solani and F. falciforme in Iraq were all recorded in this study for the first time.

Keywords

• Disease severity
• Fusarium sp
• ITS
• Pistacia vera
• Xylaria sp