Identification of Fusarium andiyazi Associated with the Bakanae Disease of Rice in Turkey.

Rice is an important nutrient staple for much of the Turkish population. In this study, field surveys were carried out to collect isolates of Fusarium andiyazi, a member of the Fusarium fujikuroi species complex (FFSC) associated with Bakanae disease. As part of the study, morphological and microscopic features of Fusarium andiyazi isolates recovered from infected rice plants were determined. The molecular detection of F. andiyazi was carried out through PCR analysis of partial translation elongation factor 1-alpha (TEF-1α) gene and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. Gib2 and Fgc primers were used for specific detection of strain of FFSC. In the phylogenetic analysis, using the sequences of the partial TEF-1α gene, F. andiyazi were clustered in the same branch with the reference isolates. The pathogenicity tests revealed that the isolates of F. andiyazi were pathogen on susceptible Baldo cultivar under room climate conditions. The disease severity ranged from 3.27% to 86.30%. The pathogen causes typical disease symptoms associated with Bakanae and mostly inhibited seed germination, while most of the isolates caused abnormal elongation compared to the control plants. This is the first report of presence of F. andiyazi causing Bakanae disease on rice in Turkey.