Fungal Diseases in Lavender Fields of the Lakes Region of Turkey

Lavender (Lavandula spp.) is an economically significant aromatic plant widely cultivated in the Lakes Region of Turkey. This study aimed to determine fungal diseases affecting lavender cultivation in the region and to assess disease severity. A total of 277 fungal isolates were obtained from 98 symptomatic lavender plants collected from Isparta, Afyonkarahisar, Denizli, and Burdur. The most frequently isolated fungal genera were Fusarium (5.92–17.38%), Epicoccum (3.78–7.03%), Alternaria (3.00–5.40%), Rhizoctonia (0.80–1.20%), and Macrophomina (2.30%). Pathogenicity tests on Lavandula x intermedia ‘Super A’ seedlings revealed that Rhizoctonia spp. (80.0%), Epicoccum spp. (77.7–83.3%), and Fusarium spp. (66.6–88.8%) caused varying levels of disease severity. Since the Lakes Region accounts for 42% of Turkey’s total lavender production, the findings of this study provide data that can reflect fungal pathogens and disease severity in lavender cultivation nationwide.