قارچ‌های مرتبط با بیماری‌های غده سیب زمینی در منطقه سراب

Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is an economically significant crop with high nutritional value, ranked fourth globally in food consumption after wheat, corn, and rice. Potatoes are susceptible to a wide range of pathogens, all of which can cause a severe reduction in product quality and yield. Diseases caused by these pathogens lead to significant economic losses by affecting the quality of potatoes during cultivation, storage and processing. Sarab region is known as the pole of potato production in East Azarbaijan Province. Despite the prevalence of potato tuber rot symptoms in this region, no comprehensive research has been done on identifying of fungal agents involved in these diseases. Therefore, this study aims to investigate and identify the fungal agents associated with potato tuber diseases in this region. To collect samples, random sampling was done several times during the summer cropping season of 2022 from the potato fields of Sarab region. Isolation and purification of fungal isolates were made using common plant pathology techniques. To identify the isolates, morphological characteristics were evaluated by relevant literature. Finally, in order to confirm the identity of the isolated fungi, the ITS-nrDNA genomic region and parts of β-tubulin gene were amplified and sequenced based on the fungal group. Based on a combination of morphological features and sequencing data, Trichocladium solani, Colletotrichum coccodes, and Rhizoctonia solani were isolated and identified as fungal species associated with potato tuber rot in Sarab region, ranked by abundance. Annually, potatoes are damaged by a broad spectrum of pathogens and pests, among which fungal pathogens cause the most damage to this strategic plant. Therefore, the identification and tracking of potato plant pathogens in the cultivation areas of this product can be useful in providing appropriate strategies for managing important potato diseases.