Rice seed-borne fungi in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province of Iran

The province of Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad in southwestern Iran is an important rice-growing area. Seed-borne fungi can cause harmful diseases, so identifying them is important to prevent these diseases.

Thirty seed samples of four rice varieties were collected from different regions of the province. Seed-borne fungi were isolated by using the potato-dextrose-agar plate, blotter, and deep freezing blotter methods and after purification, their morphological characteristics were studied and they were identified. The total frequency of seeds infected with fungi and the frequency of seeds infected with each fungus were calculated. The effect of these fungi on seed germination and root growth of four cultivars Champa, Shamim, Gerdeh, and Lenjan was tested by placing them between wet sterile filter papers.

Twenty-eight fungi of 11 genera vs. Alternaria, Aspergillus, Bipolaris, Cladosporium, Curvularia, Epicoccum, Fusarium, Penicillium, Pyrenophora, Rhizopus, and Ulocladium were identified in these thirty samples. These fungi did not significantly affect seed germination of these varieties, but caused root rot in them. The average infestation of the Champa variety was lower than the others.

The Champa variety is relatively resistant to these fungi, followed by Shamim, Lenjan, and Gerdeh respectively.