PHYTOPHTHORA NICOTIANAE VAR PARASITICA PATHOGEN OF THE PEPPER IN TUNISIA

A Phytophthora species infecting pepper plants in Tunisia was identified. The symptom characteristics are collar and root rot leading to diseased plants or plantlets and rapid wilting. The pathogen attacks the plants in the greenhouse during winter as well as in the field during the summer. The identification of the parasite strain using morphological and biological behavior and artificial inoculation of healthy pepper plants showed that the species causing the disease is Phytophthora nicotianae var parasitica sensu Stamps et al (1990), which is synonymous with Phytophthora parasitica sensu Tucker (1931). The study of the homothallism, heterothallism and sexual genetic compatibility of the A1 and A2 types was undertaken. The morphological variations observed in the strains and the Phytophthora sp taxonomy are discussed.