بیمارگرهای قارچی شاخه و تنه بر روی Ficus benghalensis در جزیره کیش

Ficus benghalensis is one of the most beautiful and attractive ornamental trees in Kish Island (Hormozgan province). Recent field surveys (between April 2016 and January 2017) throughout the Kish Island revealed a severe yellowing, dieback and decline on F. benghalensis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify fungal trunk pathogens associated with trees showing disease symptoms. Wood samples were collected from branches of trees showing external disease symptom as well as internal wood discoloration. Wood samples were cut longitudinally (5-8 cm) and superficially disinfected with ethyl alcohol 96 % and flame. Small sections (3x3 mm) from each of the woody sample were aseptically removed from discolored tissues with a scalpel and placed onto potato dextrose gar (PDA) or malt extract agar (MEA) plates. Petri dishes were incubated at 25°C for 5–15 days. Growth of fungi from the wood pieces was checked daily to isolate and all fungal colonies were transferred to fresh PDA. On the basis of morphological and cultural characteristics (colony color, colony texture and microscopic structures) the isolated fungi were classified into three groups. Morphological identifications of the representative isolates were then confirmed by sequence analysis of partial β-tubulin gene (BT) sequences amplified using primers T1 and Bt2b. In this study 39 fungal isolates were obtained from affected trees. According to morphological and molecular characteristics, isolates were identified as Phaeoacremonium parasiticum (16 isolates), Pm. rubrigenum (13 isolates) and Pleurostoma richardsiae (10 isolates). This is the first report of these three fungal species Pm. parasiticum, Pm. rubrigenum and Pl. richardsiae on F. benghalensis in the world.