diversity and distribution of fungi from strawberry plants grown in gharbloukkos (morocco)

Research Article
Najoua MOUDEN, Abdelmoti AL BATNAN, Rachid BENKIRANE, Amina OUAZZANI TOUHAMI and Alla
DOI: 
xxx-xxxx-xxx
Subject: 
science
KeyWords: 
Fungi, diversity, distribution, strawberry, Gharb, Loukkos, Morocco.
Abstract: 

Through four visits to 7 farms: Moulay Bousselham 3 farms (Gharb area) and Louamra 4 farms (Loukkos area), during 2012-2013 strawberry campaign, from February to April 2013. The mycological analysis of plants manifesting various diseases symptoms revealed the presence of 39 fungal species.The identified Fungal groups on aerial parts of cultivated varieties are mainly represented by Botrytis cinerea, showing the highest percentage of contamination (90.3%), followed by Alternaria alternata (88.1%), Cladosporium cladosporioides (33.3%), C. herbarum (53.1%), Colletotrichum acutatum (49.3%) on Splendor in Ghdira, C. gleoesporioides (25%) on Festival in Gnafda, Epicoccum purpurascens (35.5%) on Camarossa in Gnafda and Mucor sp. (33.3%) on Splendor in Ghdira. By comparison, 14 species showed a lower occurrence and lower contamination percentages ranging from 3.4 to 24.3% and including newly associated species to the aerial organs of strawberry in Morocco as Memnoniella echinata, Trichothecium roseum, Fusarium nivale and Rhizoctonia solani. The colonization of rhizosphere is marked by the presence of 12 species dominated by Cylindrocarpon destructans (57.8%), Rhizoctonia solani (46.8%) Fusarium oxysporum (30.8%), coexisting with three new species: Gliomastix murorum, Curvularia lunata and Fusarium culmorum.

The presence of the major fungal species is significantly distinct throughout the visited exploitations. B. cinerea contamination is higher in the surveyed plots of Moulay Bousselham both on fruits and leaves (94% in Gnafda and 91.46% in Dradra) than that of Louamra (44.4% in Ghdira and 52.8% in Ouled Hamou). As for C. acutatum, its percentage of contamination is around 50% on splendor fruits in Ghdira significantly higher than those recorded in Dlalha, Gnafda, Ouled Hamo and Frular (17%). However, R. solani has a high occurrence in Gnafda; C. destructans achieved higher percentages affecting 4 varieties in 5 strawberry farms while the presence of F. oxysporum is more restricted.