<i>Fusarium</i> species associated with medicinal plants of Lamiaceae and Asteraceae

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the <em>Fusarium</em> species associated with selected medicinal plant species of Lamiaceae and Asteraceae in Kerman, the second-largest province of Iran. The plants showing wilting/rotting symptoms as well as asymptomatic plants were collected from main medicinal plants reservoirs and production areas. <em>Fusarium</em> species were identified based on morphological characteristics as well as subsequent sequencing of the translation elongation factor 1-alpha (<em>TEF1</em>-α gene. The following species were identified: <em>F. oxysporum</em>, <em>F. solani</em> and <em>F. nygamai</em> from <em>Achillea wilhelmsii</em> (Asteraceae); <em>F. solani</em>, <em>F. proliferatum</em> and species of <em>F. tricinctum</em> species complex from <em>Teucrium polium</em> (Lamiaceae); <em>F. solani</em>, <em>F. proliferatum</em> and species of <em>F. tricinctum</em> species complex from <em>Ziziphora tenuior</em> (Lamiaceae); <em>F. solani</em> and a species of <em>F. tricinctum</em> species complex from <em>Thymus carmanicus</em> (Lamiaceae); <em>F. redolens</em>, <em>F. brachygibbosum</em>, <em>F. proliferatum</em>, <em>F. tricinctum</em> species complex, <em>F. compactum</em> and <em>F. equiseti</em> from <em>Mentha piperita</em> (Lamiaceae); and <em>F. solani</em> and <em>F. proliferatum</em> from <em>Ziziphora cliniopodiodes</em> (Lamiaceae). For the first time, the pathogenicity of <em>Fusarium nygamai</em> on <em>Achillea wilhelmsii</em> as well as <em>F. redolens</em> and <em>F. brachygibbosum</em> on <em>Mentha piperita</em> were confirmed in this study.