Contribution to the identification of the genus Passalora in Iran

In order to identify Passalora species, nine samples with leaf spot symptoms from different localities in Ardebil, East Azarbaijan and Northern provinces of Iran were obtained and examined during spring of 2010-11. Furthermore all specimens belonging to the genus deposited in the fungus collection of the Ministry of Jihad-e-Agriculture in Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection were re-examined and species identification key were provided for 14 species. As the result 8 species of Passalora on 9 host plants were identified including: Passalora chaetomium (from Euphorbia marschalliana), P. circumacissa (from Cerasus vulgaris, Prunus domestica), P. dubia (from Chenopodium album), P. graminis (from Agropyron sp., Poa annua, Stipa sp.), P. rosae (from Rosa persica), P. ziziphi (from Ziziphus spina-christi). Among these P. chaetomium and P. ziziphi are new records for Iran. Furthermore Agropyron sp., Poa annua, Stipa sp., Chenopodium album and Rosa persica are new hosts for Passalora graminis, P. dubia and P. rosae, respectively. Although other species have already been reported from Iran, but there is no enough information regarding their exact identification in Persian literature.