IDENTIFICATION OF PATHOGENIC FUNGAL AND FUNGAL LIKE ORGANISMS OF ORNAMENTAL PLANTS IN SHIRAZ

The present study was carried out to investigate fungal and fungal-like pathogens infecting ornamental plants in Shiraz. During 2011-2012 ornamrntal plants showing disease symptoms such as wilting, root and crown rot were collected in different parts of Shiraz landscape and green houses and isolation was done using different culture media.The growing colonies were purified and using available identification keys the following species were identified: Fusariumsolani, F. oxysporum, F. equiseti, F. culmorum, F. compactum, F. armeniacum, F. proliferatum, F. acuminatum, F. polyphialidicum,F.graminearum,Pythium rostratum. P. pyrilobum, P. oligandrum, P. aphanidermatum, P. deliense, P. irregular, Phytophthora nicotianae, Cylindrocarpon destructanse and Rhizoctonia solani and binucleate Rhizoctonia. Isolated fungi were inoculated to respective host and plant mortalities were recorded. The results showed that Rhizoctonia solani AG2 and AG4 were the most important fungal pathogens of ornamentals in Shiraz.