DETERMINATION OF SEED-BORNE FUNGI IN SOME MEDICINAL AND AROMATIC PLANTS

The aim of this study was to identify as well as to determine and pathogenicity of fungi, using the agar plate and blotter method, associated with the seeds of anise (Pimpinella anisum), coriander (Coriandrum sativum), flax (Linum usitatissimum), fenugreek (Trigonella foenumgraecum), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), and lemon balm (Melissa officinalis). A total of six fungi namely Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus niger, Arthrinium arundinis, Botrytis cinerea, Cladosporium sphaerospermum, and Penicillium spp. isolated from seeds of the medicinal and aromatic plants. Pathogenicity tests demonstrated that A. alternata was pathogenic in lemon balm and fenugreek seeds at the rates of 70 and 75%, respectively. B. cinerea was determined as a pathogen in lemon balm seed at the rate of 35%. A. arundinis was detected at rates of 96 and 67% pathogen in coriander and lemon balm seeds, respectively. A. niger was determined as pathogen in coriander seed at the rate of 100%. C. sphaerospermum was found as pathogen in fennel and flax seeds at the rates of 86 to 90%, respectively. To our knowledge this is the first report on A. alternata, B. cinerea and A. arundinis isolated from melissa seeds in Turkey. This study also represents the first reported cases of C. sphaerospermum in flax and fennel seeds and A. alternata in fenugreek seeds and A. niger and A. arundinis on coriander seeds for Turkey.