Taxonomy, phylogeny and pathogenicity of some Bipolaris, Curvularia and Exserohilum species associated with selected cereals in southern Iran

In order to identify, study phylogenetic relationships and evaluate the pathogenicity of graminicolous fungi on cereals in southern Iran during the spring and summer of 2017, some roots, stems and rhizosphere soil were collected from barley, maize, millet, rice, and wheat fields in Bushehr, Fars, Khuzestan and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Provinces, Iran. Based on morphological and phylogenetic studies, 141 recovered isolates were identified as three species of Bipolaris (B. sorokiniana and two probable new taxa Bipolaris sp1 and Bipolaris sp.2), four species of Curvularia (C. australiensis, C. papendorfii, C. spicifera, C. verruculosa) and one species of Exserohilum (E. rostratum). pathogenicity test was conducted on leaves and roots of Eram cultivar of barley, 504 cultivar of maize, Parosou cultivar of millet, Lanjan cultivar of rice, and Azar cultivar of wheat. In both pathogenicity tests pathogenic and nonpathogenic isolates were observed. This is the first report of potential pathogenicity of C. papendorfii in all tested plants; C. verruculosa in barley, millet, rice and wheat; C. spicifera in barley, millet and maize; and C. australiensis in barley, maize and rice.