Determination of fungal pathogenes in forest nursery of Kastamonu region

In this study, the presence of fungal pathogens of decidious and coniferous seedlings in forest nurseries in Kastamonu region, were determined. The identification of these fungi was carried out with the help of morphological and molecular methods. Isolated fungal species were tested for their ability to cause disease on the hosts. The studies have been carried out on 308 seedlings exhibiting various symptomopssampled from 3 forest nurseries, including Kastamonu Gölköy, Daday and Taşköprü. The resulting fungal isolates were identified in detail using morphological and molecular techniques. As a result of the diagnostic studies, four fungi were identified as causiteve agents of the observed symptoms; Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani, F. moniliforme and Cylindrocarpon destructans. Saprophytytic fungi such as Aspergillus niger and Clonostachys rosea which is known as a biological control fungus were also isolated and identified in this study from symptomatic seedlings.. Fusarium was found to be the most common fungal genus in the studied nurseries. Additionally, the presence of C. destructans on the Abies nordmanniana seedlings in the Daday nursery was first determined in this study. Pathogenicity tests for F. oxysporum, F. solani, F. moniliforme and Cylindrocarpon destructans were performed on Pinus nigra, Cedrus libani, Pinus sylvestris, Abies nordmanniana and Pinus pinea seedlings. . The results showed that all isolates were pathogenic and developed in the host plants tested. As a result of the pathogenicity tests, Cylindrocarpon destructans was found to be the fungus most likely to cause disease on the seedlings. This fungus is followed by Fusarium oxysporum as the ability to cause disease in seedlings.