EFS12- Book of abstracts - Contact
EFS12- Book of abstracts - Contact
EFS12- Book of abstracts - Contact
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SESSION 5: DISEASE CONTROL AND FORECASTING MODELS<br />
P123 - The frequency <strong>of</strong> isolation <strong>of</strong> Fusarium species<br />
from stem bases <strong>of</strong> grass weeds <strong>of</strong> field crops in<br />
Tunisia<br />
S. Gargouri 1 , S. Jemaiel 1 , S. Chekali 2 , M. Fakhfakh 3<br />
1 Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique de Tunisie, rue Hédi Karray, 2049, Tunisia; 2 Pôle<br />
Régional de Recherche et de Développement Agricoles du Nord Ouest semi-aride, B.P 221, 7100, Le<br />
Kef, Tunisia; 3 Institut National des Grandes Cultures, B.P 120, 8170, BouSalem, Tunisia<br />
E-mail: sgargouri@yahoo.com<br />
Foot and root rot <strong>of</strong> wheat, caused by F. culmorum, is a serious problem in the<br />
wheat areas <strong>of</strong> Tunisia where highly susceptible durum cultivars predominate. F.<br />
culmorum has a wide host range. However we know little <strong>of</strong> the role <strong>of</strong> grass<br />
weeds in rotation crops as potential over-seasoning hosts <strong>of</strong> this species or other<br />
pathogenic Fusarium species in this region. A total <strong>of</strong> 1566 plants representing<br />
ten species (Agropyrum junceum, Avena alba, Bromus madritensis B. rigidus,<br />
Hordeum murinum H. vulgare, Lolium rigidum, Phalaris minor, P. paradoxa, P.<br />
truncata) were collected from the main climatic areas <strong>of</strong> the grain belt and the<br />
presence <strong>of</strong> Fusarium species was determined by isolation. Stem bases were<br />
surface sterilized and plated on ¼ PDA and the Fusarium species that we<br />
recovered were identified morphologically. F. culmorum was the dominant species<br />
isolated and was recovered from stem bases <strong>of</strong> all ten grass species. Other<br />
Fusarium species were isolated at lower frequencies: F. equiseti, F. oxysporum,<br />
F. avenceum, F. compactum and F. acuminatum. These results demonstrate that<br />
wild grasses harbor Fusarium species, including F. culmorum the predominant<br />
species causing foot and root rot in Tunisia. Consequently grass weeds, a serious<br />
problem in many rotation crops in Tunisia, presumably contribute to the<br />
maintenance <strong>of</strong> inoculum levels <strong>of</strong> F. culmorum during the rotation phase.<br />
Keywords: Fusarium, wheat, grass weeds<br />
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