Susceptibility of fig cultivars to Diaporthe canker in Iran

Abstract

Edible fig (Ficus carica, family Moraceae) is probably native to southwest Asia, with Iran, one of the world's top fig-producing countries, behind Turkey, Morocco, Greece and Spain, with 107,791 tonnes of fig production annually (FAO, 2020). Fars Province, in southern Iran, has appropriate conditions for growing organic dried figs. The province is Iran's leading dried fig producer and 51,000 ha are devoted to fig cultivation in its arid and semi-arid regions (Jafari et al., 2018). The dominant commercial organic dried fig cultivar in Iran is the Smyrna fig cultivar Sabz, making up 95% of fig cultivation (Zare & Jalili, 2020).Fig canker is the most critical and devastating disease of edible figs (Banihashemi & Javadi, 2009). In a recent survey, a high occurrence of canker was observed in fig orchards in Fars Province. It has become a widespread syndrome among fig orchards in southern Iran, particularly for cv. Sabz. The pathogen leads to well-developed lesions on the trunk and branches, death of bark and woody tissues, limb dieback, leaf yellowing, defoliation, and consequently, death of the fig trees. Based on morphological identification, Phomopsis cinerascens (syn. Diaporthe cinerascens) was reported as the causal agent of fig canker in Fars Province, Iran (Banihashemi & Javadi, 2009). No curative fungicides or effective and economical management methods are available for fig canker control (Mostowfizadeh- . The only options are either to remove infected tissues or to delay pruning until late in the dormant season (from March to early April), when wound susceptibility tends to be lower (Banihashemi & Javadi, 2009). Several studies have investigated the possibility of using tolerant or resistant cultivars for canker disease management of the economic fruit trees, including

The role of stress factors in severity of Cytospora plurivora in greenhouse and field plantings of 13 peach (Prunus persica) cultivars

“…Previous studies have documented similar drought stress effects on plants inoculated with Cytospora species ( Guyon et al., 1996 ; Kepley and Jacobi, 2000 ; McIntyre et al., 1996 ). Bolboli et al. (2022) reported variation in the susceptibility of different edible fig cultivars ( Ficus carica ) to Diaporthe cinerascens with drought-tolerant cultivars being reported as non-susceptible to fig canker.…”

“…infections occurs and that some cultivars may be less susceptible or not susceptible to Cytospora canker. Within the edible fig production system ( Ficus carica ), fig canker ( Diaporthe cinerascens ) is a major limiting factor; researchers recently reported a drought-tolerant fig tree cultivar to be non-susceptible to the canker pathogen ( Bolboli et al., 2022 ). Thus, the objectives of this study were to evaluate thirteen peach cultivars, commonly planted in western Colorado, for susceptibility to C. plurivora D.P.…”

“…Bolboli et al (2022) reported variation in the susceptibility of different edible fig cultivars (Ficus carica) to Diaporthe cinerascens with drought-tolerant cultivars being reported as non-susceptible to fig canker. More specifically, in peach systems, researchers have correlated increased C. leucostoma growth on trees under water deficit and with reduced levels of bark moisture…”

First report of Peroneutypa scoparia associated with canker disease on Ficus carica in northern Iran

“…Symptoms include lesions on the trunk and branches, death of bark and woody tissues, limb dieback, leaf yellowing, defoliation and consequently, death of the fig trees (Figure 1). In December 2020, a field survey was performed to investigate the diversity and pathogenicity of ascomycete fungi associated with canker and dieback symptoms on fig trees in Mazandaran province, northern Iran (Bolboli et al., 2022a; Bolboli et al., 2022b). As part of this survey, two unknown isolates were recovered from one fig tree.…”

<em>Pythium banihashemianum </em>sp. nov. and <em>Globisporangium izadpanahii </em>sp. nov. Two New Oomycete Species from Rice Paddies in Iran

“…In recent years, various cereal fields in Fars Province of Iran have been surveyed to isolate and identify Pythium s.l. species [43,45,46]. These studies revealed rice paddies are a favorable ecological niche for Pythium s.l.…”