Identification of Cercospora species in southwestern Iran

Abstract

Cercospora species are associated with leaf spot symptoms on various host plants. In this research, nine species of the genus on some medicinal and economic crops were found in diff erent locations in Kohgiluyeh and Boyerahmad Provinces (southwestern Iran) and examined according to morphological characteristics of stromata, conidiophores, conidiogenous cells and conidia. Results showed that Cercospora species on Cichorium intybus (C. cichorii) and Nasturtium offi cinale (C. nasturtii) are new for the mycobiota of Iran. However, characteristics of Cercospora on Plantago lanceolata are very similar to the description of C. plantaginis, but morphologically indistinguishable from C. apii s. lat. Other species have already been reported from other parts of Iran, but are new in southwestern Iran. Furthermore, Rumex crispus and Trifolium resupinatum are new hosts for C. apii and C. zebrina in Iran, respectively.

Keywords

• cercosporoid fungi
• leaf spot
• plant diseases
• taxonomy