A preliminary study on the genus Fusicladium s. l. in Iran

During 2011, twigs, leaves and fruits of symptomatic hosts containing Fusicladium species from Guilan, Mazandaran, Qazvin and Ardabil provinces were sampled and examined. Five species including F. carpophilum, F. fraxini, F. oleagineum, F. pomi and F. pyrorum were identified based on morphological data. Of these, F. carpophilum and F. fraxini are identified as new records for the mycobiota of Iran. Fraxinus sp., Prunus persica var. nectarina, Pyracantha sp., red apple cultivar of Malus pumila and Khoj (local variety of Pyrus communis in Guilan province) are identified as new hosts for the genus Fusicladium in Iran. Cultures of F. fraxini, F. pomi and F. pyrorum are deposited at fungal culture collection of Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection. A brief description and illustration and a key to Fusicladium species reported from Iran are provided.