Determination of fungal pathogens causing diseases on avocado grown areas at Antalya center and provinces

There are biotic and abiotic factors limiting yield and quality of avocado (Persea americana Mill) which has been produced for the last 50 years in Turkey. Avocado's biggest economic loss and problems are caused by fungal pathogens. Aims of this thesis is to conduct surveys in avocado growing areas in Antalya province and its districts and to identify fungal disease pathogens from collected samples, to apply Koch postulates and microscopy for diagnosing the causal agents resulting diseases. Their results were confirmed with using ITS primers in molecular techniques. Their analyses revelead that fungal pathogens from eastern Gazipaşa to western Demre provinces of Antalya listed as follows: Neofusicoccum parvum, Lasiodiplodia theobromae and Pestalotiopsis species were in Gazipaşa, Phytopthora cinnomoni and Macrophonima pheoseolina were in Alanya, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Phytopthora cinnomoni and Pythium species were in Manavgat, Fusarium solani and Fusarium oxysporum were in Kumluca and Macrophonima pheosolina was found in Finike, respectively. These disease agents come from Mediterreanean forests and maquis to avocado grown areas, and it is thought that production and quality problems of avocado will increase due to these fungal pathogens in future. Identification of the disease agents is indispensable for future control methods.