Determination of seed-borne fungi in some medicinal and aromatic plants

Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Field Crops of medicinal and aromatic plants; flax (Linum usitatissimum), coriander (Coriandrum sativum), fenugreek (Trigonella foenumgraecum), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), anise (Pimpinella anisum), lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) seeds of the plants were used. The aim of this study is to determine of fungi on the surface of seeds, and whether these fungal agents are pathogenic. Isolation of the fungi on seeds was examined by the agar method. Consequently, the fungi isolated from fenugreek seeds; Alternaria; from coriander seeds; Aspergillius and Arthrinium; from fennel seeds; Penicillium and Cladosporium; Penicillium from anise seeds; Penicillium, from flax seeds; Penicillium and Cladosporium; from lemon balm seeds; Alternaria, Arthrinium, Botrytis and Epicoccum, fungi belonging to genus were identified. Lemon balm and fenugreek seeds are the most infested seeds with fungi. Molecular analyzes of four fungus isolates with different and pathogenic cultures were made from the fungal isolates and their DNA sequences were realised. The species of pathogenic fungi that develop in lemon balm and in the garden have been identified as Alternaria alternata, Arthrinium arundinis. In the fennel and flax, the fungus species found as a pathogen was recorded as Cladosporium sphaerospermum. The fungal species of the genus Epicoccum isolated from lemon balm seeds were confirmed by molecular diagnosis as E. nigrum. As a result of the pathogenicity tests A. alternata was detected in lemon balm and fenugreek at the rates of 70% to 75%, respectively. Botrytis cinerea was determined in lemon balm at the rate of 35%. A. arundinis isolates were detected in lemon balm and coriander at the rates of 96% and %66, respectively. Aspergillus niger was determined in coriander at the rate of %100. Cladosporium sphaerospermum was found in fennel and flax seeds at the rates of %90 to %86, respectively. In our study, A. alternata, B. cinerea and A. arundinis isolated from melissa seeds; C. sphaerospermum on flax seeds and fennel seeds; A. alternata on fenugreek seeds; A. niger and A. arundinis on coriander are the first record for our country.