NEOCOSMOSPORA E. F. Smith is a filamentous ascomycete fungal genus belong to Hypocreales order and contains several species mainly pathogenic for plants (Cannon & Hawksworth 1982). Species of NEOCOSMOSPORA are known to live in the soil of tropical or subtropical areas and often in association with plant roots. During summer 2017, for isolation of Fusarium species from uncultivated soil (foothill) in Qasr-e Shirin (Kermanshah province, Iran), we recovered one isolate of NEOCOSMOSPORA. Soil samples were collected from 0– 20 cm depth. The isolates were recovered using a soil dilution plate method directly from uncultivated soil. ...

Background and ObjectivesRoot-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are amongst the most important plant-parasitic nematodes. These nematodes, which bind the roots of sensitive plants, are obligate parasites of plants. Numerous pathogens, including nematodes, fungi, bacteria, and viruses, cause damage to ornamental plants. Damage caused by these pathogens includes crown and root rots, cankers, and leaf blotches, among others. Given the importance of ornamental plant production and the detrimental effects inflicted by root-knot nematodes and root rot fungi on these plants, the current investigation aimed to assess the response of nine ornamental plants to the nematode Meloidogyne javanica. Additionally, the study sought to determine whether NEOCOSMOSPORA solani, in conjunction with the nematode, could induce a synergistic effect on Ferocactus.Material and MethodsThe response of nine ornamental plants to the root-knot nematode was examined in the present study. Upon isolation from the crowns and roots of different cacti varieties grown in greenhouses containing ornamental plants in Ardabil province, the rot fungus was determined to be NEOCOSMOSPORA solani. The M. javanica population was cultivated in the Plant Pathology Laboratory of Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University. A suspension of M. javanica eggs and larvae was utilized to inoculate ornamental plants with nematodes. To assess the plants' response to the nematode, several plant growth factors and the quantity of knots on the roots were examined. The present study also assessed the synergistic impacts of two nematode and fungal pathogens on specific growth factors of Ferocactus. Both simultaneous and non-simultaneous inoculation techniques were utilized.ResultsAmong the plants with knots on the roots, except for tiger Aloe, in the rest of the investigated plants, there were significant differences among the treatments. Based on the comparisons between plants inoculated with nematodes, the highest number of knots was observed on the roots of Begonia plants and the lowest in Echeveria, Ferocactus and Tiger aloe. Notably, Tradescantia spathace was excluded from the analyses as a result of significant nematode damage and subsequent plant mortality. Based on the absence of any damage observed on the shoots and roots of the control plants of this species, it can be categorized as one of the Meloidogyne-sensitive plants. The growth factors examined in plants were similarly impacted in the majority of the plants that sustained significant damage, with begonia plants exhibiting the most pronounced effect. We observed the presence of diminutive, pallid flowers as well as a reduction in the mass of the roots and aerial components in the spotted begonia. Notwithstanding a minor aberration in the morphology of certain roots and aerial organs, no knots of significance were detected in Myrtillocactus. There were no discernible differences in plant growth factors between the control and inoculated plants; therefore, this particular plant can be deemed the most resistant to Meloidogyne among all the plants that were examined. Given that this plant is frequently utilized as a basal component in grafted cacti, this result may prove to be extremely beneficial. In relation to the synergistic assays conducted on the Ferocactus plant, the outcomes of both approaches demonstrated statistically significant differences among the treatments as determined by variance analysis for all the characteristics under investigation, namely shoot length, shoot weight, root length, and root weight. The treatments were inoculated with nematodes, and the control group exhibited the greatest shoot length. These treatments exhibited the shortest shoot lengths when inoculated with nematodes and fungi. The treatments containing nematode and fungus resulted in the shortest root length and weight, while the control plants devoid of nematode and fungus exhibited the greatest root length and weight.DiscussionOverall, the findings of the current study demonstrated that root-knot nematodes have a significant capacity to inflict damage upon the ornamental plants under investigation. However, it was also confirmed that M. javanica and N. solani have synergistic effects on Ferocactus plant damage. The results validate the importance of promptly detecting and managing these organisms within greenhouse environments where ornamental plants are cultivated. Therefore, before the beginning of the infection and with the early detection of these diseases, it is possible to prevent the spread and damage caused by the root-knot nematode and root rot fungus in ornamental plants by using integrated management.

Ash trees (Fraxinus spp.) are one of the most important ornamental trees in the green space of cities. To evaluate the fungi associated with decline and dieback of ash trees, the symptomatic samples from branches, trunks, and roots of two species of Fraxinus (European Fraxinus, F. excelsior and Van, F. rotundifolia) were collected from Ardabil and Namin during the summer and autumn of 2018–2019. From the 60 samples, 81 fungal isolates were recovered. Based on morphological features of all isolates together with sequence data of tef-1α gene and specific primers of some Fusarium and NEOCOSMOSPORA species, 21 fungal species were identified, i.e., Alternaria, Chaetomium, Clonostachys, Cytospora, Fusarium, Microascus, Microsphaeropsis, NEOCOSMOSPORA, Peyronellaea and Phialophora. NEOCOSMOSPORA solani, Cytospora chrysosperma and F. oxysporum had the highest abundance, respectively. Pathogenicity test was performed by excised shoot for F. cerealis, F. equiseti, F. oxysporum and N. solani excided shoot method and for C. chrysosperma on excided shoot method and also on two years old ash saplings in greenhouse. Our results showed that all examined species except F. cerealis and F. equiseti cause discoloration of wood texture at the inoculation site. According to our knowledge, most of the fungal species identified in this study, are reported for the first time on ash trees worldwide. Besides, F. denticulatum is a new record to the Iranian mycobiota.

The study aimed to isolate and identify fungi associated with die-back of some tropical fruit trees including Christ’s thorn jujube, Chico, and Guava, having die-back symptoms in Sistan and Baluchistan and Kerman Province. During 2022 and 2023, fungal isolation was done using a single spore and hyphal tip method. Seventy-one isolates with die-back symptoms were obtained from 150 samples and identified by morphological criteria. Finally, five fungal isolates with distinct morphological characteristics were selected for DNA extraction and nucleotide homology determination. To confirm the morphological identification, the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 (ITS) and Elongation factor1-α (tef1-α) genomic regions were sequenced. Maximum Parsimony method for Lasiodiplodia isolates (ITS and tef-1α gene regions) and NEOCOSMOSPORA isolates (tef1-α) in phylogeny analysis was used. The identified species in most locations included NEOCOSMOSPORA solani on Christ’s thorn jujube, Chico and Guava, and Lasiodiplodia theobromae on Christ’s thorn jujube, which is reported for the first time in Iran.

Potato is one of the major Agronomic crops in Kurdistan province. Many fungi have been reported as the causal agents of tuber, crown and root rot and canker on potato plants. The objective of this study was to identify fungal agents associated with tuber, crown and root rot and canker of potato. Samples were collected from diseased plants in East of Kurdistan (Ghorveh and Dehgolan) during cropping season in 2014. Samples were first washed under tap water and then sliced to 0. 5-1 cm pieces, surface sterilized and plated on general or selective culture media. In total 151 isolates were obtained from tuber, crown and roots of infected potatoes and purified using single spore or hyphal tip. Fungal isolates were identified based on morphological and sequence data of ITS, RPB2 and TEF loci. Finally, based on morphologic characters and DNA sequence data 10 species belonging to four genera were identified including Alternaria arborescens, A. alternata, A. atra, A. embellisia, Colletotrichum coccodes, Fusarium equiseti, F. redolens, F. tricinctum, NEOCOSMOSPORA rubicola and N. haematococca. Among the identified genera, Fusarium with 93 isolates was the most frequent genus.