A SURVEY ON CITRUS SOOTY MOLD FUNGI IN GILAN PROVINCE, IRAN

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine species composition of sooty mold fungi on <em>Citrus</em> species in Gilan Province, which is located in the North of Iran. This region isolated by Alborz mountain range from other parts of the country with maximum rainfall about 2000 mm/year. A total of seven species belonging to various genera of mitosporic fungi viz., <em>Conidiocarpous penzigii</em>,<em> C.</em> cf.<em> caucasicus</em>, <em>Chaetasbolisia microglobulosa</em>, <em>Leptoxyphium</em> sp., <em>Polychaeton</em> <em>artocarpi</em>, <em>Polychaeton </em>sp. and <em>Tripospermum</em> <em>roupalae</em> were identified. Moreover, two ascomyctes species including <em>Aithaloderma</em> <em>ferrugineum</em> and <em>Trichomerium</em> <em>grandisporum</em> are also recorded as causal agent of sooty mold on <em>Citrus</em> plant in this region. <em>Polychaeton</em> <em>artocarpi</em> is proposed as a new combination. According to literatures, all above-mentioned taxa, are new to Iran mycoflora.