First record of <i>Epicoccum andropogonis</i> growing on <i>Paspalum dilatatum</i> ergot in Iran

Abstract

<em>Paspalum dilatatum</em> spikelets with ergot symptoms were collected from Rice Research Institute of Iran in Rasht, Guilan province during the fall of 2018. Ergot symptoms usually are caused by different <em>Claviceps</em> species on grasses. Sclerotia of ergot were globular in shape, black in color and irregularly roughened on the surface that resembles a brain. Different fungi were isolated from the ergot symptoms such as <em>Alternaria </em>species mostly. Some isolates were identified as <em>Epicoccum</em> based on the morphological features. Morphological characteristics of the isolates were studied on both host substrate and culture media (potato dextrose agar, oat meal agar and malt extract agar) <em>in vitro</em>. Shape, color and size of conidia of fungus grown on host substrate (ergot) were similar to the grown conidia on culture media <em>in vitro</em> condition. This fungus was identified as <em>Epicoccum</em><em>andropogonis</em> based on molecular data of ITS-rDNA sequence, morphological characteristics and host specificity, which usually grown on <em>Claviceps</em> honeydew and immature sclerotia and can be consider as an indicator of ergot disease on grasses. This is the first report of ergot symptoms on <em>P. dilatatum</em> as well as <em>E. andropogonis</em> species from Iran.