Zia Banihashemi

shirazuniversity · plant protection

Mycologia Iranica

The survival of plants under adverse conditions in desert habitats is related to microbial interactions, which can be an innovative strategy for reducing the effects of drought stress in colonized plants. In this study, two endophytic fungi, Trichoderma harzianum, and Fusarium solani, were recovered from the roots of trees in desert regions of Iran...

Species of the Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC) are responsible for the Fusarium wilt disease of melon (Cucumis melo), a major disease of this crop in Iran. According to a recent taxonomic revision of Fusarium based primarily on multilocus phylogenetic analysis, Neocosmospora, a genus distinct from Fusarium sensu stricto, has been proposed to...

Objective Wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis (Fom) is one of the most widespread and destructive melon diseases worldwide. Whole-genome sequencing data of a diverse set of Fom strains, as well as several non-pathogenic strains isolated from melon from different parts of the world are described here. These data shed light on the geneti...

In spring 2018, melon (Cucumis melo L.) plants with wilting of the leaves and dry rot of the crowns were observed in Dashti county, Bushehr province, southern Iran. Nine fungal isolates were recovered from the symptomatic crowns. Based on the morphological characteristics and DNA sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of ribosoma...

During 2017–2018, leaf spots were observed on Japanese privet plants in commercial greenhouses and ornamental nurseries in Tehran, Fars and Bushehr provinces, Iran. Due to the high severity of the symptoms, this study was conducted to identify the causal agents. Based on morphological characteristics and molecular analyses of six loci (ITS, act, te...

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis (Fom) is one of the most important pathogens of melon worldwide. In this study, we investigated the genomic diversity of Fom. One of the aims was to find clues for the origin(s) and dispersal of clonal lineages and races of Fom. We therefore included a large number of Fom strains from Iran, where melon has been cul...

Branch and trunk canker diseases have become prevalent on nut crops in Iran. During 2015 to 2018, extensive field surveys were conducted on 58 almond, 43 pistachio and 80 walnut orchards in Iran to study fungal pathogens associated with symptomatic trees. One hundred and fifty-six representative fungal isolates were selected and identified based on...

Cucumis melo fruits showing symptoms of irregular brown lesions were collected in Mohr region, Fars province, Iran. Based on morphological characteristics and DNA sequence of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, the isolated pathogen was identified as Neoscytalidium hyalinum. Arthroconidia were isolated from fruit rot symptoms inoculated i...

Walnut (Juglans regia L., Juglandaceae) is one of main nut crops in Iran. Iran, with 405,000 t of walnuts, is the third largest producer of this nut crop in the world. Dieback and decline of walnut trees is one of the factors limiting the cultivation and sustainability of this crop. In order to survey and determine the causal agents of dieback and...

Phaeoacremonium spp are important pathogens of many crops. From 2016 to 2018, wood samples were collected from diseased walnut trees showing symptoms including dieback, canker and gumming in Kerman and Fars provinces, to determine the presence of fungal trunk pathogens. In the laboratory, cross sections were prepared from the wood samples and inter...

Phaeoacremonium spp are important pathogens of many crops. From 2016 to 2018, wood samples were collected from diseased walnut trees showing symptoms including dieback, canker and gumming in Kerman and Fars provinces, to determine the presence of fungal trunk pathogens. In the laboratory, cross sections were prepared from the wood samples and inter...

Botryosphaeriaceae ‫گردو‬ ‫درختان‬ ‫بروی‬ (Juglans regia L.) ‫در‬ ‫ایران‬ ‫سهرابی‬ ‫محبوبه‬ 9 ‫محمدی‬ ‫حمید‬ ، 9 ‫لئون‬ ‫مایال‬ ، 2 ‫آرمنگل‬ ‫جوزف‬ ، 2 ‫بنی‬ ‫ضیاءالدین‬ ‫و‬ ‫هاشمی‬ 3 1-‫ایران‬ ،‫کرمان‬ ،‫کرمان‬ ‫باهنر‬ ‫شهید‬ ‫دانشگاه‬ ،‫کشاورزی‬ ‫دانشکده‬ ،‫گیاهپزشکی‬ ‫گروه‬ .

During July 2015 to June 2017, 63 walnut and 94 stone fruit orchards were surveyed in Iran to identify and characterize the causal agent of a disease inducing leaf spot and fruit canker symptoms. Altogether, 189 Prunus spp. and 141 walnut samples (i.e. leaves, branches and fruits) were collected from 10 Provinces in northern, northwestern, central...

Species of the family Diatrypaceae (Ascomycota, Xylariales) are predominantly saprotrophic on the decaying wood of trees worldwide. However, some species of this family were reported as pathogens since they were associated with declining plant hosts. In order to determine the fungal agents associated with the decline of almond trees, a survey was c...

Species of the family Diatrypaceae (Ascomycota, Xylariales) are predominantly saprotrophic on the decaying wood of trees worldwide. However, some species of this family were reported as pathogens since they were associated with declining plant hosts. In order to determine the fungal agents associated with the decline of almond trees, a survey was c...

Cultivars of Cucumis melo L. are important economic crops planted in both saline and non-saline soils in Iran. Root rot on C. melo caused by Phytophthora melonis is one of the most devastating soil-borne diseases causing great loss. C. melo crops cultivated in saline soil adjacent to Maharloo Lake (salt lake) in Fars Province have been associated w...

Verticillium dahliae is a plant pathogenic fungus that reproduces asexually and its population structure is highly clonal. In the present study, 78 V. dahliae isolates from Iran were genotyped for mating type, SNPs and microsatellites to assign them to clonal lineages and to determine population genetic structure in Iran. The mating type of all iso...

Microsatellite genotyping of a large sample of isolates of Verticillium dahliae from diverse locations recently identified seven distinct genotypic clusters. However, these clusters were not put in the context of phenotypes known to be correlated with clonal lineages in V. dahliae. The objective of this study was to compare clusters defined by micr...

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT-The effects of inoculum density and temperature on the disease intensity of Phytophthora parsiana on almond seedlings were investigated. Almond seeds (Rabie and Kaghazi cultivars) were placed in moist vermiculite at 4°C for 45 days. Germinated seeds were sown in a soil: sand mixture (2:1 v/v) and grown in greenhouse (18°C-25°C...

Microsatellite genotyping of a large sample of isolates of Verticillium dahliae from diverse locations recently identified seven distinct genotypic clusters. However, these clusters were not put in the context of phenotypes known to be correlated with clonal lineages in V. dahliae. The objective of this study was to compare clusters defined by micr...

Severe dieback of rose has been recently observed in several rose greenhouses in Fars province of Iran. During 2014 and 2015, stems of rose plants showing yellow to brown discoloration and dieback were collected from rose greenhouses. Coniothyrium fuckelii, Botrytis cinerea and Acremonium were subsequently isolated from the margin between healthy a...

In autumn 2013, an alert concerning a suspected outbreak of sugar beet disease under field conditions has reached from Eghlid county, Fars province, Southern Iran. Field surveys were performed following the alert and plants affected with crown gall and tuber deformation were observed. Diseased plants were randomly collected and brought to the labor...

Polystigma amygdalinum is a serious leaf pathogen of almonds. Ascospores are believed to be the only inoculum of this pathogen. Ascocarp initials develop in infected leaves in contact with, or in close proximity to, filimentous spore-bearing bodies, which are the first to appear. While the aseptate filiform spores (scolecospores), are suspected of...

The reaction of nineteen different cultivars of Cucurbita spp. including Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita maxima and Lagenaria siceraria to Phytophthora capsici, Phytophthora melonis and Phytophthora drechsleri was studied under greenhouse conditions. Plants were grown in steam sterilized soil. One-month-old plants were inoculated with vermiculate hempsee...

The plant pathogenic Phytophthora drechsleri is morphologically similar to some other non-papillate Phytophthora spp., especially P. melonis, and it is difficult to discriminate these convergent taxa. It seems that the Iranian putative P. drechsleri isolates from different cucurbit species have been generally misidentified and their characteristics...

Phytophthora drechsleri Tucker which earlier was considered to be responsible for cucurbit root rot in various parts of the world including Iran is similar to P. melonis Katsura in terms of morphology and and temperature requirement . The objective of the present study was to compare pathogenicity and reaction of both species on 87 species and vare...

The present experiment aimed at increasing orange peel and sugar beet pulp protein content through solid-state fermentation by Trichoderma reesei and Trichoderma viride. In vitro digestibility and changes in the chemical composition of the fermented products were determined after seven days of fungal cultivation using gas production tests. The cult...

The present experiment aimed at increasing orange peel and sugar beet pulp protein content through solid-state fermentation by Trichoderma reesei and Trichoderma viride. In vitro digestibility and changes in the chemical composition of the fermented products were determined after seven days of fungal cultivation using gas production tests. The cult...

Polystigma amygdalinum, which causes red leaf blotch of almond, is one of the few fungal plant pathogens to remain a taxonomic enigma, primarily because it has resisted cultivation and causes almond leaf blotch only in restricted regions of the world. To place this species in the evolutionary tree of life, we amplified its ribosomal DNA internal tr...

Fusarium wilt of melon is a destructive fungal disease throughout the world. In this study, the evolutionary relationships among isolates of different formae speciales of Fusarium oxysporum was examined, with a special emphasis on the forma specialis melonis. Bootstrapped maximum likelihood analysis of the elongation factor-1α (EF-1α) sequence was...

Ascochyta blight, caused by Ascochyta rabiei is the most destructive disease of aerial parts of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) worldwide. Forty isolates of A. rabiei representing eight geographical regions, were collected from the west and south western Iran, and analysed for mating type distribution and fertility. A multiplex PCR assay using specif...

Agar medium supplemented with V-8 is generally used for sporulation of Alternaria solani. Due to the unavailability of V-8 medium in many countries specifically in Iran finding alternative substrates is desirable. The purpose of the present investigation was to explore alternative media. The result indicated that extracts of tomato leaf, potato lea...

Desert truffles are hypogeous ascomyceteous ectomycorrhizal fungi, occurring in arid and semi-arid ecosystems. A PCR-based method was developed for the identification of 3 major desert truffles of Iran: Terfezia claveryi, Tirmania pinoyi and Tirmania nivea based on internal transcribed spacers of rDNA. Two specific PCR primers were designed for T....

Desert truffles, hypogeous Pezizales (Ascomycota), are difficult to identify due to evolutionary convergence of morphological characters among taxa that share a similar habitat and mode of spore dispersal. Also, during their symbiotic phase, these are barely distinguishable morphologically, and molecular probes are needed for their identification....

Fusarium wilt of melon caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis is a destructive fungal disease in melon growing regions. Isolates of F. oxysporum obtained from six major melon producing provinces in Iran, from melons and other hosts, were characterized based on pathogenicity to melon, vegetative compatibility groups (VCGs) and nuclear ribosomal...

Different isolates of Phytophthora melonis and P. drechsleri were used for formation of chlamydospore on solid and in liquid culture media and plant tissues. Water agar, corn meal agar and hemp seed agar supplemented with 30 mg beta sitosterol were inoculated with the species and incubated at 30 °C for four days and then transferred to 4 °C and roo...

The host range of Phytophthora melonis and P. drechsleri on woody plant such as, apple, walnut, pistachio cultivars Sarakhs, Qazvini and Akbari, apricots and almonds were evaluated. Seeds were incubated in moist sand at 40C for two months. Germinated seeds were sawn in steam sterilized soil in each 19 × 20 × 20 cm diameter pot (3 seeds/pot). After...

Two assays were carried out in Badjgah, Fars province, the south of Iran, with the purpose of establishing the development time of Heterodera filipjevi life cycle phases in wheat roots and also to study the effect of the certain cereals including bread wheat, durum wheat, barley, corn and millet on the nematode population densities. Results of fiel...

During 2004-2007, a field survey was conducted in different vineyards to determine the fungal pathogens associated with grapevine decline in different provinces of Iran including Fars, Hamedan, Isfahan, and Kohgiluyeh and Boirahmad. Twenty-seven isolates of Botryosphaeriaceae were recovered from vines showing decline and dieback symptoms only in Fa...

Roots of Helianthemum species were collected from various rangeland sites in Fars, and other provinces in Iran. The partial small subunits of ribosomal DNA genes were amplified with the genomic DNA extracted from their roots by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using the universal fungal primer pair ITS1/ITS4 and specific primer pair FTC/RTC,...

During 2004–2007 various own rooted vineyards were inspected to study the fungi associated with vine trunk diseases in Iran. Samples from declining vines showing yellowing and reduced growth and different symptoms in wood, including browning of the wood, necrosis, brown and black streaking and white rot were collected. Fungal isolations were made f...

The genus Phaeoacremonium is associated with decline disease of woody plants and with human infections. Members of this genus have broad host range and wide geographical distribution. During 2010, ten isolates of Phaeoacremonium were recovered from vascular tissues of persimmon (Diospyros kaki) trees, showing decline symptoms in Shiraz city. Anamor...

During 2003-2004, a number of rhizospheric soil samples were collected of either healthy or symptomatic field grown melon plants infected with Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis race1/2 (Fom). Twenty one bacterial strains capable of inhibiting Fom including Burkholderia sp., Bacillus sp., Streptomyces sp. and Pseudomonas fluorescens were isolated. T...

Fungi associated with ascocarps of Terfezia claveryi, Tirmania nivea, T. pinoyi, Picoa lefebvrei and P. juniperi in Iran showed a wide range of genera and species in 94 samples collected during 2005–2009 from different regions including Fars, Systan and Baluchestan, Kerman, East Azarbaijan, Khuzestan, Kermanshah and Hormozgan provinces. Thirty two...

Terfezia, Picoa and Tirmania, so called desert truffles, are mycorrhizal fungi mostly endemic to arid and semi-arid areas of the Mediterranean Region, where they are associated with Helianthemum and Carex species. he aim of this work was to study the identification, molecular analysis, distribution and hosts of these pezizalean hypogeous fungi in I...

Phaeoacremonium is a described genus associated with decline disease of woody hosts and with human infections. Members of the genus Phaeoacremonium have broad host range and wide geographical distribution. During 2010, ten isolates of Phaeoacremonium were recovered from vascular tissues of persimmon (Diospyros kaki) trees, showing decline symptoms...

During 2008, the presence of Paecilomyces species was studied in fields in Fars province. Soil samples were collected from 0–20 cm depth. The isolates were recovered using a soil dilution plate method directly from soil. Isolation was performed from soil using malt extract agar, rice agar, oatmeal agar and potato dextrose agar. Anamorphic character...

Abstract: A general surveys were conducted in Mazandaran citrus groves for the presence of Phytophthora species causing citrus gummosis. Soil samples and infected citrus tissues were collected and assayed using baiting and selective medium. Phytophthora citrophthora and P. nicotianae were detected in all of the citrus orchards and their distributi...

Abstract: Control of citrus green mold caused by Penicillium digitatum, was evaluated on artificially inoculated oranges and tangerines immersed in 3 and 4% sodium bicarbonate (SB) (wt/vol) and potassium bicarbonate (PB) (wt/vol), with or without 200 ppm sodium hypoclorite for 60 or 180s; in 3 and 4% sodium carbonate (SC) (wt/vol) and potassium ca...

Seed and root rot of pine and cypress seedlings cause heavy annual losses to forest nurseries in Fars Province. Root and crown samples of various species of conifers, such as Tehran pine (Pinus eldarica), brutia pine (Pinus brutia), Arizona cypress (Cupressus arizonica), Shirazian cypress (Cupressus sempervirens var. fastigiata), common cypress (C....

The contact and vapor effects of essential oils from different plants were studied in vitro for fungicidal and fungistatic activity towards different Basidiomycete, Ascomycete, Zygomycete and Oomycete taxa. Of nine essential oils tested, most were fungicidal at very low concentrations to most of the fungi. Hyphae were more sensitive than spores to...

Among several Phytophthora spp. reported previously from Pistacia vera in Iran, a high temperature species recently identified as P. parsiana (formerly known as high temperature P. cryptogea) is becoming important in woody plants, including P. vera. The host range of this newly recognised species, including both annual and perennial plants, is repo...

Cysts or zoospores of Phytophthora capsici, P. citrophthora and P. nicotianae were suspended in distilled water or in recycled irrigation water collected from commercial nurseries. Propagules, suspended in shallow layers of still water in 60mm-diameter plastic Petri dishes with lids off, were exposed to various UV doses emitted from either an excim...

The phylogeny and taxonomy of Phytophthora cryptogea and Phytophthora drechsleri has long been a matter of controversy. To re-evaluate this, a worldwide collection of 117 isolates assigned to either P. cryptogea, P. drechsleri or their sister taxon, Phytophthora erythroseptica were assessed for morphological, physiological (pathological, cultural,...

In order to study the primary inoculum source, apothecium production, as well as overwintering of Monilinia laxa, the causal agent of sweet cherry brown rot, this study was carried out in Guilan Province during 2005-2006. Apothecium production by the fungus was investigated under natural and laboratory conditions. The mummified fruits collected in...

Fig branch canker is a major disease in most parts of Iran, especially in Estahban (Fars province), which has the largest area of dry fig plantations in that country. In 1999-2000 a general survey was conducted in rainfed fig plantations throughout Fars province. In this survey Phomopsis cinerascens was consistently isolated from the cankers. The f...

Eight Phaeoacremonium (Pm.) isolates from grapevines in Iran and Spain were studied with morphological and cultural characteristics as well as phylogenetic analyses of combined DNA sequences of the actin and beta-tubulin genes. Two new species are described. Pm. cinereum was isolated from a young vine in Spain and from older vines in Iran and can b...

Eight Cylindrocarpon isolates recovered from the trunk bases of 10-year-old grapevines showing decline symptoms from two vineyards in Bavanat (Fars province, south-western Iran) were studied. Based on phenotypical characteristics, mating experiments and molecular data, they were identified as Cylindrocarpon liriodendri. Pathogenicity was confirmed...

Estahban is the main rainfed fig producing region in Fars province of Iran with an acreage of more than 20,000 ha propagated by stock. Since its first discovery back in 1979, fig canker became the major plant disease in this region and now has expanded to other fig growing areas in the province. Infection by the causal agent results in canker forma...

The effect of the osmotic (Ψs) and matric (Ψm) potential on the sclerotial germination and mycelial growth of Macrophomina phaseolina was examined at room temperature. Sclerotial germination was determined in 0.1% water agar and mycelial growth on potato dextrose agar (PDA) and potato dextrose broth (PDB) amended with sodium chloride and polyethyle...

As part of a study to examine the phylogenetic history of the taxonomically challenging species Phytophthora cryptogea and P. drechsleri, a distinct monophyletic group of isolates, previously described as P. drechsleri or P. cryptogea, were characterised. Analysis of their rDNA ITS sequences indicated that these isolates were distinct from P. drech...

When dark-grown mature oospores of Phytophthora cactorum were activated to germinate by exposure to 5 uW cm-2nm-1 of fluorescent light at 20–22°C in the presence of certain flavin inhibitors such as KI, salicylhydroxamic acid and phenylaceric acid at 40. 1. and 0.1 mM respectively, photoactivation and hence subsequent germination of oospores were i...

Safflower seedlings were used to discriminate two morphologically similar species of Phytophthora namely P. melonis and P. drechsleri. All isolates of P. melonis from different sources could not infect safflower seedlings under high inoculum potential whereas all isolates of P. drechsleri from various hosts attacked safflower within a short period....

The genetic diversity of a population of Aspergillus fl avus isolated from sesame seeds collected in 2004 and 2005 from various parts of Iran was studied through vegetative compatibility, and their mycotoxin production was determined. Sixteen vegetative compatibility groups (VCGs) were identifi ed among the nit mutants. VCGs were not evenly distrib...

The effects of soil salinity and water stress on Verticillium wilt, ion composition and growth of pistachio were studied in a greenhouse experiment (18–32°C). Treatments consisted of three levels of salinity (0, 1200 and 2400 mg NaCl/kg soil), three levels of water stress (3, 7 and 14 day irrigation regimes) and two Pistachio cultivars (Sarakhs and...

Pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) is an important economic crop, which is mostly planted in saline conditions in Iran. Verticillium wilt disease of pistachio caused by Verticillium dahliae is known as a serious disease for pistachio trees. The causal agent was recovered from shoot and soil samples collected from main pistachio growing areas in Kerman pr...

The effects of three sodium chloride (NaCl) levels (0, 1200, and 2400 mg kg soil) and three irrigation intervals (3, 7, and 14 d) on the growth and chemical composition of two Pistacia vera rootstocks (‘Sarakhs’ and ‘Qazvini’) were investigated under greenhouse conditions. Eight-week-old pistachio seedlings were gradually exposed to salt stress whi...

From April 2001 to November 2002, samples of walnut branches and trunks with symptoms of shallow bark canker were collected from Fars and Kohgiluyeh-va-Boyerahmad provinces. Symptoms of the disease were small cracks in the bark of the trunk and scaffold branches of mature trees with dark watery exudates which stained the affected trunk or limb. By...

Polystigma ochraceum is a major leaf pathogen of almond in Fars Province of Iran. Over a 4‐year study period it was found that ascospore discharge began at flowering and continued for 4–5 weeks. The maximum discharge occurred at petal fall. The incubation period was estimated to be 4–5 weeks under experimental conditions. Although the mature ascosp...

The interaction between soil salinity and infection caused by Verticillium dahliae was studied in pistachio (Pistacia vera) in a greenhouse experiment. Treatments consisted of 0, 1400, 2800, and 4200 mg sodium chloride (NaCl) kg soil and three rootstocks (Sarakhs, Badami, and Qazvini cultivars). They were gradually exposed to salinity stress before...