Determination of the Prevalence and Morphological Identification of the White Rot Pathogen (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary) in Sunflower in Erzurum Province
Özet
Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is an important crop grown in Turkey for both oil and confectionery
purposes. In recent years, changes in climatic conditions and variations in planting patterns have
increased the incidence of diseases in sunflower crops in Erzurum, leading to significant economic
losses. Among these diseases, white rot caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary results in
decay of the roots, stems, and capitulum tissues, causing reductions in both yield and quality. The
pathogen can survive in the soil for extended periods through its resilient structures, called sclerotia, and
can initiate infection again under favorable environmental conditions. In this study, the prevalence of
the white rot pathogen in sunflower fields in Erzurum was investigated. Field surveys were conducted
in the districts of Pasinler, Horasan, Yakutiye, Aziziye, Aşkale, and Palandöken. Samples were collected
from symptomatic sunflower plants, transported to the laboratory, and cultured in vitro on Potato
Dextrose Agar (PDA) medium. Pure cultures were obtained from the developing colonies. Macroscopic
and microscopic observations of the isolates confirmed their identity as Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. The
results indicated that white rot disease occurred at varying intensities across all surveyed districts of
Erzurum Province. However, the disease was observed to be more severe in Aziziye and Pasinler, while
lower levels were recorded in Horasan, Yakutiye, Aşkale, and Palandöken. This study provides an upto-date and region-specific assessment of the prevalence of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in sunflower
cultivation areas of Erzurum and establishes a solid scientific foundation for future research on the
pathogenicity, epidemiology, and molecular characterization of the pathogen.
Keywords: Sunflower, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Erzurum, Morphological Identification
Sürdürülebilir Kalkınma Amaçları
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SKA 15: Karasal Yaşam
Atıf için künye
Deligöz, T., & Tozlu, E. (2025). Determination of the Prevalence and Morphological Identification of the White Rot Pathogen (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary) in Sunflower in Erzurum Province. 7th International Congress on Food, Agriculture and Animal Sciences, Antalya (ss. 48–58).
BibTeX
@inproceedings{deligoz2025-269111,
author = {Deligöz, Tuğçe and Tozlu, Elif},
title = {Determination of the Prevalence and Morphological Identification of the White Rot Pathogen (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary) in Sunflower in Erzurum Province},
booktitle = {7th International Congress on Food, Agriculture and Animal Sciences},
address = {Antalya},
year = {2025},
pages = {48--58},
url = {https://akademik.atauni.edu.tr/yayinlar/269111-determination-of-the-prevalence-and-morphological-identification-of-the-white}
}