Study on Bipolaris and Curvularia species associated with corn, sorghum and sugarcane in Iran

In order to study the Bipolaris and Curvularia species associated with corn, sorghum and sugarcane, sampeling were performed from different regions of Iran (including Alborz, Ardabil, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Khuzestan, Mazandaran and Zanjan provinces) during the summer of 2011 and 2012. Fungal species were identified based on morphological features and molecular data of ITS regions of ribosomal DNA. Eleven species including Viz. Bipolaris cynodontis (48 isolates), B. sorghicola (16 isolates), B. maydis (17 isolates), B. sorokiniana (seven isolates), B. bicolor (four isolates) and B. oryzae (two isolates), Curvularia spicifera (19 isolates), C. papendorfii (ten isolates), C. ellisii (two isolates), and C. hawaiiensis (one isolate) were identified. Pathogenicity test of the species were performed on four to six leaf stage of corn, sorghum and sugarcane seedlings. Finally, pathogenicity of B. maydis, B. sorokiniana and B. oryzae on corn and B. sorghicola on sorghum seedlings were confirmed. This is the first report of occurrence and pathogenicity of B. sorokiniana and B. oryzae on corn leaves in Iran.