Identification of fungal pathogens naturally occuring on fruit trees of the Rosaceae family

Fungal diseases, such as Anthracnose, Fusarium, Botrytis and Monilinia, are the major pests of fruit trees, affecting fruit quality and size. Monilinia affects blossoms, shoots and fruits. Anthracnose causes sandy, black, or brown spots on fruits and leaves, which can later spread to the branches. Another fungal disease, fusarium, is characterized by drying and yellowing leaves and can cause the plant ‘s shoots to wilt. Gray mold, also known as botrytis, primarily attacks fruits. Morphological characteristics alone are insufficient for determining diseases, as one disease can overshadow another or be easily confused with others. Therefore, the most accurate method for identifying microorganisms is molecular techniques. In this study the genetic diversity of fungal diseases on plum fruits was investigated using internal transcribed spacers (ITS1 and ITS2). The standard protocol for identification of four main fungal diseases by using multiplex PCR was developed.