Studies on the Diversity of Mycoflora Associated with Spotted Leaves of Date Palm

(Ibtisam Mohammad Abdul Karim Obabtin)

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Abstract

The mycoflora isolated from the surface of the spotted leaves of the date palm (type Klalas) were studies. A total number of seven fungi Aspergillus flavus, A. niger, Penicillium sp., Alternaria altarnata, Cladosporium sp., Rhizoctonia sp. and Stemphyllium sp. were isolated. Identification of the isolated fungi were carried out by using cultural characteristic and microscopic examination according to Barnett and Hunter (1972). The percentage of the frequency distribution of the isolated fungi has been recorded according to the different leaf parts. It was higher in leaflet than in leaf cervix close to the palm tree trunk followed by midrib. The total number of fungi were reduced by superficial sterilization process. Samples have been collected from three different areas (Dammam, Dhahran and Um Al-sahik). Isolation was carried out from different part of the spotted leaves, before and after surface sterilization. The total number of isolated fungi have been found to be change according to the location. There were (96) isolates from Um Al-sahik, (63) from Dhahran, and (54) from Dammam. Frequencies of the fungi were on follow: In Um Al-sahik, A. altarnata was the most frequent with a 40.21 % followed by Cladosporium sp. with a 20.62% . In Dhahran, A. niger was the most frequent with a 33.33% followed by both A. altarnata and Cladosporium sp. with a 17.46 %. In Dammam, Cladosporium sp. was the most frequent with 27.78 % followed by A. niger with a 24.07%
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