Fusarium species complexes associated with Fusarium head blight in Algerian wheat fields

Fusarium head blight (FHB) occurs in all cereal growing areas of Algeria, but knowledge on the occurrence and phylogenetic position of FHB pathogens is lacking. In the present work, eleven Fusarium isolates, recovered from diseased durum wheat seeds in northeast Algeria, were identified using morphological markers and multi-locus phylogenetic analysis. The isolates were from six species distributed among four species complexes. Fusarium incarnatum-equiseti species complex and F. tricinctum species complex yielded 4 isolates each, followed by F. sambucinum species complex (2 isolates), and a single isolate belonging to F. chlamydosporum species complex. Potato sucrose agar was the most efficient medium for spore production of Fusarium species. F. clavum, F. microconidium and F. tricinctum are reported for the first time causing FHB on durum wheat in Algeria while F. microconidium is the first world report from durum wheat.