Agriculture & Food, Volume 10, 2022

Abstract: Wheat stem base diseases can be caused by different pathogens – previous research has showed complex infections. Also, fungi from other ecological niches can be associated with wheat stem base. Wheat stems with disease symptoms were collected in a field experiment where agronomic practices (different soil tillage systems under various crop rotation schemes) were evaluated from 2012 to 2020. Causal agents and other fungi associated with stem bases were identified by mycological and molecular genetic methods to genera/species level. A high diversity of fungi associated with stem base diseases was determined – fungi from 30 different genera were found. Altogether, 48% of identified fungi belonged to typical causal agents of stem base diseases, 15% were pathogens of wheat leaves and ears, and 37% were saprotrophs or fungi with unclear ecological guilds. Most often, stem base diseases were caused by Oculimacula spp., Fusarium culmorum, and F. avenaceum. Other pathogens (Rhizoctonia spp., Pythium spp., other species of Fusarium, etc.) were found only in some cases. Important pathogens of wheat – Pyrenophora tritici-repentis and Parastagonospora nodorum – were determined frequently. The spectrum of pathogens differed depending on the meteorological conditions of the vegetation period. Further research is required to clarify the relationships between different fungi and their influence on wheat development.