Report of Cryphonectria parasitica causing agent of chestnut blight from Iran

Document Type : Short paper

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Abstract

Chestnut forests of Iran occur only in Guilan province as the following areas; shaft (Visrood-Taleghan-Lepundan), Talesh (Shafarood) and Fuman (Ghaleh roodkhan). These areas have been subject to chestnut blight in recent years. Protection of chestnut stands is accounted as one of the most important research goals in Iranian forests research. In this study, infected sites were visited in Visrood and Shafarood forests. All infected trees demonstrated symptoms of canker and blight on trunk and branches. Some branches were dried and trunk bark was opened. A number of orange dots occurred around opened spots. These symptoms are good signs for chestnut blight recognition. Sampling procedures was carried out on branches and main trunks. In laboratory samples were examined by microscopic observation. Perithecia, asci and ascospores were observed under microscope. In order to soften the plant tissue colored dots, samples were boiled in KOH 10% for 3 minutes. In this stage, preparations were bright and clear. Then all of preparations were fixated. On examining the preparations, many ascocarps were observed into stromata. Every ascocarp had a tall neck. Perithecia 300-400 micrometer in diameter, embedded in stroma, dark brown to black, membranous, globose to flask shaped, with slender black necks up to 600 micrometer long. Asci oblong elliptic to subclavate, 30-60 X 7-9 micrometer. Ascospores hyaline, two-celled, sometimes constricted at the septum, ellipsoid, 7-11 X 3.5-5 micrometer, with a gelatinous envelope. Based on the scientific references (Roane, 1986) and (Falahati, 1991), this fungus was determined as Cryphonectria parasitica (Murr ) Barr. This is the first report of the fungus from Iran.
 
 

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References

-        فلاحتی رستگار، م.، 1370. کلید مصور قارجهای آسکومیست. شرکت نشر مشهد. صفحات 88-89
-         Roane, M. K., 1986. Taxonomy of the genus Endothia. In: Roane, M. K., Griffin, G. J. and Elkins, J. R., (Eds), Chestnut blight, other endothia diseases, and the genus Endothia. 28–39. APS Press, St. Paul, Minnesota, 53p.

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History

  • Receive Date: 23 August 2005
  • Revise Date: 19 June 2016
  • Accept Date: 23 September 2006

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