Fusarium species isolated from wheat samples showing root and crown rot symptoms in Southeast Anatolia

Abstract

Wheat is one of the most largely grown cereals in Turkey and it is very important for meet calorie requirements of humans and animals. However, due to numerous fungal diseases suffered, the wheat supply is threatened. Fusarium spp., known as the big portion of plant parasitic fungi, causes some quality and quantity problems on wheat production. This large genus has over one hundred sub-species, therefore, it is so difficult to diagnose in species level. Using certain molecular and microscopic approaches, this study aimed at determining the Fusarium spp., causing root and crown rot on wheat in Southeast Anatolia. Molecularly, using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) experiment with some species-specific primers and sequencing of some part of ribosomal RNA region after amplification by PCR were used to differentiate the species. Additionally, colony and different spore characteristics of cultures were used to diagnose some Fusarium species microscopically. At the end of the study, 143 Fusarium isolates including 19 species were obtained from wheat producing areas in Diyarbakır, Şanlıurfa, Mardin, and Adıyaman provinces. Although the most frequently isolated species was F. proliferatum at the rate of 17.4%, F. pseudograminearum and F. culmorum, which were the most important crown rot pathogens, were isolated at 13% of the total isolated Fusarium isolates.