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Morphological and M olecular C haracterization of F usarium I solated F rom M aize in S yria
Author(s) -
Madania Ammar,
Altawil Merfat,
Naffaa Walid,
Volker Paul H,
Hawat Mohammad
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of phytopathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.53
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1439-0434
pISSN - 0931-1785
DOI - 10.1111/jph.12085
Subject(s) - biology , fusarium , mycotoxin , dna sequencing , botany , gene , genetics
Maize is the third most important cereal after wheat and barley in S yria. Maize plants are attacked by several F usarium species causing mainly stalk and ear rot of maize which poses a major impact worldwide. Identification of F usarium species is important for disease control and for assessment of exposure risk to mycotoxines. To identify F usarium species attacking maize in S yria, a total of 32 F usarium isolates were recovered from maize ears collected from four different geographical regions, mainly from G houta surrounding D amascus. Fusarium isolates were identified based on morphology and on partial DNA sequencing of the TEF 1‐α and r DNA / ITS genes. The majority (26 of 32) of these isolates was identified as F . verticillioides (subdivided into four groups), whereas three isolates turned out to be F . thapsinum, F . equiseti and F . andiyazi . The remaining three isolates were close to F . andiyazi , although further investigation is needed to confirm whether they represent a yet undescribed species. Furthermore, our results showed that sequencing the TEF 1‐α gene is much more informative than sequencing of the r DNA / ITS region for F usarium identification at the species level. PCR analysis showed that only F . verticillioides isolates were potentially fumonisin producers and that only the F . equiseti isolate was potentially trichotecene producer. This is the first report on F usarium thapsinum, F . equiseti and F . andiyazi attacking maize in S yria.