Molecular characterization of new causative agents of root rot of wheat in Morocco

Abstract

Most of the world's cereal-growing regions are severely constrained by root rots, crown rot and head blight brought on by Fusarium spp. In Morocco, yield losses due to root rots are not negligible and range from 12 to 14%. For this study, wheat root rot was surveyed in wheat fields from 2014 to 2019 in different regions of Morocco. Diseased plants are less vigorous, show progressive rotting of the root system and produce white or discolored heads containing stunted seeds. Therefore, the improvement of national production goes through the study of this disease on a deep level. To do this, 75 samples have been collected for the morphological study, which made it possible to identify the genus Fusarium present in the roots and the crown of the infected plant, and the molecular study made it possible to characterize the Fusarium species that are present in Moroccan wheat fields. Molecular identification revealed the presence of five Fusarium species, namely: Fusarium culmorum, which is noted as the dominant species in Morocco with a relative frequency of 21%, F. graminearum, F. equiseti, F. avenaccum and finally F. sambucinum, which represented a high rate in the Gharb region.