The First Record of Alternaria triticina the Causative Agent of Alternaria Leaf Blight in Wheat and Barley in Iraq

Abstract

Alternaria leaf blight caused by Alternaria triticina can cause high yield losses at the severe infection in wheat and barley. It is first time for this pathogen to be recorded in Iraq. The investigation process of this disease included 25 locations from 12 sites in 5 provinces that plant wheat and barley in the south and middle of Iraq. The results revealed that the fungus was isolated from almost all examined locations with different frequency. Shethaif- Al Garbie and Sheikh Saad showed higher number of isolates with 60 and 40 in wheat fields respectively; while; Shethaif- Al Garbie and Dabuni expressed the highest number of isolates in barley fields with 45 and 33 respectively. The highest isolation frequency in wheat fields was at Sheikh Saad and Ali Alsharqi with 100% followed by Ali Algharbie with 90% and the lowest was at Al- Kut and Al-Huria with 37.5 and 40% respectively. The highest isolation frequency in barley fields was recorded at Dabuni with 82.5% followed by Shethaif- Al Garbie and Babil / Al-Huria with 75% and the lowest was at Al-Basrah/ Shatt al-Arab with 20%. The fungus was isolated from all plant parts (stem, leaf, and spike); however, spikes recorded the highest isolation frequency reaching 100% in some locations.