What is it about?

. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plant suffers from several fungal diseases, such as Fusarium head blight, root rot, and crown rot diseases that reduce the quality and quantity of grains. Two Fusarium species (Fusarium brachygibbosum and F. falciforme) have been isolated from wheat roots and rhizosphere regions showing disease symptoms in wheat fields in Al-Hwuir and Al-Qurna districts at Basra province. Each fungal species had been characterized morphologically and molecularly based on DNA sequence data for the translation elongation factor 1- α (TEF-1 α). Results of pathogenicity test showed that F. falciforme and F. brachygibbosum at the third week of inoculation induced head bleached symptoms with the severity of 12.46% (with significant differences P > 0.05) and 7.14%, respectively on Abu Ghraib 3 cultivar. Yellowing and necrosis symptoms were recorded in stem and crown region. The mean of disease severity (as necrosis on basal stem and crown) was 5% and 3.34% for F. falciforme and F. brachygibbosum, respectively. The two Fusarium species were identified as new pathogens on wheat plants in Iraq, causing head bleaching, stem and crown necrosis.

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Why is it important?

There is no previous report available in the Iraqi literature on F. brachygibbosum and F. falciforme on wheat plants. Therefore, the present study provides complete morphological and molecular description, and also confirms the pathogenicity of both Fusarium species on wheat plants in Basra Province, Iraq.

Perspectives

In conclusion, both Fusarium species (F. brachygibbosum and F. falciforme) have been isolated from wheat root and rhizosphere. Identification of pathogens was based on morphological and microscopic characteristics, as well as genetic identification was confirmed by applying TEF1-α gene sequencing on both species. To our knowledge, this is the first report in Iraqconducted to identify the two new pathogens on wheat plants. Results of pathogenicity test revealed the ability of examined Fusarium species to induce several disease symptoms on Iraqi wheat cultivar (Abu Graib 3); the symptoms including head bleaching, plant yellowing, and necrosis on stem and crown. Further studies should be conducted on the prevalence and severity of these pathogens on wheat plants and alternative hosts to evaluate their impact on production in Iraq.

Dr. Mohammed Hussein Minati

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This page is a summary of: Morphogenetic identification, description and pathogenicity of novel pathogens on Iraqi wheat plant (Triticum aestivum) causing head blight and crown rot diseases, Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity, May 2021, UNS Solo,
DOI: 10.13057/biodiv/d220565.
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