Morphological and Molecular Characterization of Fusarium chlamydosporum, F. brachygibbosum and F. flocciferum Associated with Crown and Root Rot of Wheat

Zidan, L., D. Jawdat and W. Naffaa. 2022. Morphological and Molecular Characterization of Fusarium chlamydosporum, F. brachygibbosum and F. flocciferum Associated with Crown and Root Rot of Wheat. Arab Journal of Plant Protection, 40(2): 175-181. https://doi.org/10.22268/AJPP-040.2.175181 Fusarium is one of the most important genera of fungi, causing plant, animal, and human diseases and produces mycotoxins. A total of 105 isolates of Fusarium spp. were recovered from crowns and roots of wheat plants, showing typical symptoms, collected from four Syrian provinces during 2017-2018. In previous studies, seventeen Fusarium species associated with crown and root rot (FCR) on wheat were identified in Syria. However, the identity of some isolates has not been resolved. The current study was carried out to identify and characterize through morphological approaches and sequencing a partial translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF1-α) gene in three Fusarium species F. chlamydosporum Wollenweber & Reinking, F. brachygibbosum Padwick and F. flocciferum Corda associated with FCR, isolated and identified for the first time in Syria. The present study will provide detailed cultural and morphological characteristics of the three species, scarcely described in literature. Keywords: First record, morphological descriptions, TEF1-α gene, Syria.