Molecular Characterization of Neoscytalidium spp. The Cause of Wilting of Branches and Blackening of the Stem

Abstract

The study was conducted in the Faculty of Agricultural Engineering Sciences in the laboratories of the Plant Protection Department 2019, with the aim of diagnosing the pathogen of Branch Wilt and blackening of stems, outwardly and molecularly. The results of isolation from infected Malus domestica, Morus alba, Punica granatum, Citrus sinensis, C. aurantium, Ficus elastic, Ficus benjamina, Ricinus communis and Populus euphratica trees showed that twelve isolates of Neoscytalidium spp. were obtained. As a percentage of the frequency of the fungus in the visited orchards of apple trees (Al-Tarmiya and Saffronia) and berries (Al-Tarmiya) 88.9%, and in pomegranates (Al-Tarmiya) and sour oranges(Al-Jadriya) 66.6%, while the lowest frequency was recorded in orange trees (Al-Jadriya), which amounted to 33.3%. The results of the nucleotide sequencing of the isolates of the fungus Neoscytalidium spp. The presence of three types of fungi: N. novaehollandiae isolated from apple, Morus and pomegranate trees, Ficus, Castor and N. dimidiatum isolated from apple and Morus trees, Populus and N. hyalinum isolated from apple, orange, sour orange and ficus trees. The apple isolates 1, 2, and 3, Morus isolate 1, the pomegranate isolate, and the Ficus isolate showed a 100% congruence rate, while the Morus 2, orange, ficus, and Populus isolates showed a congruence rate of 99%, while the orange isolate congruence 98%, and the Castor isolate recorded a congruence rate of 97% with the isolates. Global registered in the International Gen Bank. The nucleotide sequences of the three species N. hyalinum, N. novaehollandiae, and N. dimidiatum in the International Genebank Organization, and this is the first record of these species in Iraq on the hosts isolated from them in this study.