FOOT ROT is one of the contagious diseases of sheep AND goats. The causal agent is Dichelobacter nodosus. The subject of this study was to prepare a multivalent Dichelobacter nodosus vaccine against FOOT ROT in Iran. The experimental prepared vaccine consisted of tripticase peptone. pROTease peptone, Lab - lemco, yeast extract, L.argenine AND glucose. the quality control of the vaccine was tested in sheep for safety AND efficiency. The results of quality control of experimental vaccine were quite satisfactory in injected animals. The method of preparation AND quality control of vaccine is described in this paper.

During growing seasons of 2001-2002 this study was conducted to investigate AND determine the Fusarium spp. associated with FOOT AND ROOT of faba bean in Khuzestan. Samples were collected from infected plants from different fields in different regions of Khuzestan including Ahwaz, Hamidie, Behbahan, Aghili, Shooshtar, Dezful, Sefiabad, Shoosh AND ANDimeshk. Eighty four isolates of the Fusarium species were isolated AND purified by single spore or hyphal tip methods. Based on morphology, the isolates were identified as: F. oxysporum (27 isolates, 32.14%), F. solani (23 isolates, 27.38%), F. moniliforme (18 isolates, 21.42%), F. proliferatum (8 isolates, 9.52%), F. semitectum (4 isolates, 4.76%), AND F. equiseti (4 isolates, 4.76%). This is the first report on these species from vicia faba from Iran. Besides, Faba bean is reported to be a Matrix nova for F.proliferatum, F.semitectum AND F. equiseti. In pathogenicity tests, seedlings were inoculated using different methods including dipping ROOTs in a spore suspension with 106CFU/ml, adding spore suspension to the soil around the ROOTs, AND using inoculated wheat grains (with the fungal isolates) in the soil around the seedling ROOTs. Results indicated that all the isolates were pathogenic to the broad bean plants. In all pathogenicity methods mentioned above, F. solani had the most virulent.

A total of 270 Bacillus strains were isolated from bulk soil AND rhizospheric of cucumber in the Tonekabon fields (MazANDaran province). Antifungal activity of Bacillus strains was evaluated against Pythium aphanidermatumAND P. ultimum using dual culture method.13 strains with more than 10 mm inhibition zone were selected for further study. Morphological, physiological, biochemical AND pROTein pattern study of the strains showed that they are belong to Bacillus subtilis (B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B7), B. marinus (B1, B13) B. licheniformis(B9, B8), B. circulans (B10, B12), AND Bacillus sp. (B11). Antifungal activity of the liquid AND volatile metabolites of the strains of Bacillus spp. on Pythium spp. as well as, their potential to produce antibiotic surfactin AND enzymes pROTease AND cellulose were studied as antagonistic mechanisms of the bacterial strains. Results indicated very different comportment of strains against two Pythium species. More important variation was noted for liquid AND volatile metabolites of strains on the mycelial growth of Pythium strains B12, B11, B7, B3 AND B9, B8, B6, B3 inhibited 100% my cellial growth of P. ultimum respectively. While B14 (liquid metabolites) AND B11 (volatile metabolites). Showed very weak inhibitory effect (13.7, 4.44. %). In greenhouse experiment all strains were able to control of the diseases intensity of seedlings in different rates. Strains B7, B8, B13, AND B14 were more efficient, they reduced the rate of ROTted ROOTs caused by both Pythium species between 75 to 100%. Strains B7 AND B13 demonstrated also important growth promoting effect on the cucumber seedlings. They increased the seedling wet weight of the varieties superdominos AND French Net-wet at the rate of 85.6 AND 44.4% related to control respectively. The correlation between antagonistic mechanism index, evaluated in vitro, AND biocontrol potential of strains in greenhouse indicated, that there is a good correlation between inhibitory effect of liquid metabolite on mycelia growth of Pythium species AND their biocontrol potential index. The correlation index were -0.67 AND -0.45 for P. phanidermatum AND P. ultimum respectively. There was a high AND significant correlation between the effect of strains on seedling growth AND the ROOT ROT index in greenhouse. The correlation index was -0.93 AND -0.79 for P. aphanidermatum AND P. ultimumrespectively.

ROOT ROT AND vine decline disease caused by Monosporascus cannonballus AND charcoal ROOT ROT disease caused by Macrophomina phaseolina are important diseases of melon plants in Iran. In this study, the efficacy of wood vinegar on the mycelial growth of these pathogens as well as the integrated effect of wood vinegar AND compost tea were examined on the control of ROOT ROT AND vine decline disease. To test the antifungal activity of wood vinegar, mycelial disks (3 mm in diameter) of M. cannonballus AND M. phaseolina were placed on PDA culture media amended with different concentrations of wood vinegar (0.025, 0.05, 0.37, 0.5, 0.75 v/v). Wood vinegar inhibited the mycelial growth of both pathogens at 0.05 probability level. In green house condition, muskmelon seeds were sown into pot-soil containing 15% v/v of compost tea AND infested with M. cannonballus. Three concentrations of wood vinegar (0.125%, 0.25%, 0.5%) which had shown the maximum inhibitory effect on mycelial growth in the laboratory were then drenched into the soil. Results showed that disease severity was significantly reduced in all concentrations used (a=0.05). The integration of compost tea AND wood vinegar reduced the pathogenicity of M. cannonballus up to 94% compared with untreated control. ROOTs AND shoots weights increased by 8% AND 25% respectively in the presence of wood vinegar AND compost tea (a=0.05).

In the present investigation, the effect of soil depth, moisture AND temperature on scleROTium survival AND germination of ScleROTinia scleROTionlln AND the rate of sunflower infection were studied. ScleROTia needed for experimental purposes were obtained on mixed wheat kernel AND carROT pieces. Mature scleROTia were placed0, 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 16 AND 20 cm deep in soil in plastic pots with AND or without host plant. It was revealed that scleROTia embedded at lower depth of soil up to 5 cm showed high percent of 0, 2 AND 5 cm. Results on the effect of soil moisture indicated that, the most suitable condition required for scleROTium germination was at 24% moisture content of soil. This was achieved by watering of pots every other day. Lower or higher ranges of soil moisture resultedin lower percent germination. Average temperature of soil (5-10cm in depth) during growing season of sunflower in rain-fed area measured above 30°C.Due to low soil moisture AND high temperature. ScleROTia are presumed to remained ungerminated in the soil. In order to manage the disease, it is recommended that cultivation of sunflower in West-Azarbaidjan to be established in rainfed areas.

Pythium aphanidermatum is one of the most important agent of ROOT AND FOOT ROT of cucumber, particularly in the warm humid climate. Induction of host resistance by microorganisms or by the synthetic compounds is recently considered as one of the biological control method of disease. Trichoderma harzianum Bi is a good cANDidate for induction of resistance in plant against diseases. The maximum level of resistance of seedlings to P. aphanidermatum after inoculation with T. harzianum Bi was determined using completely rANDomized design in greenhouse condition. The results based on the fresh ROOT weight AND ROOT ROT index of seedlings showed that the maximum level of resistance against P. aphanidermatum is induced 7 days after treatment of cucumber seedlings by T. harzianum. The variation of peroxidase activity, its isozymes, AND the total soluble pROTeins in ROOT extract induced by T. harzianum Bi in cucumber seedlings was determined by colorimetric AND native Electrophoresis methods before AND after inoculation the seedlings by P.aphanidermatum. The results showed that the maximum level of resistance induction in seedlings treated by T. harzianum Bi coincide with maximum activity of peroxidase. The peroxidase activity was evaluated by Guaiacol oxidation rate in the presence of H2O2 AND changing of solution color to orange reddish, measured by the variation of light absorption per min/ mg soluble pROTein of ROOT extract. The same experiment realized on T. harzianum Bi, P. aphanidermatum AND the combination of two fungi demonstrated that both fungi can influence individually the peroxidase activity, but it is more pronounced AND more stable AND persistent in the case of seedling inoculation by combination of two fungi in comparison to the control.

Pistachio is one of the most important horticultural products in Iran which its production is always affected by biotic AND abiotic limiting factors. Armillaria crown AND ROOT ROT caused by Armillaria mellea, is an important disease in pistachio orchards, which causes the death of fertile trees. Control of the disease is difficult, costly AND rarely successful. Symptoms of the disease in shoots of affected trees includes yellowing, early defoliation, sudden wilting, dieback of branches AND reduction shoot growth. These symptoms, together with the decay AND browning of woody tissues AND the formation of white to creamy mycelial sheets in the ROOTs AND crown, as well as the observation of rhizomorphs of the fungus, are sufficient evidence for definitive diagnosis of Armillaria crown AND ROOT ROT in pistachio trees. The infection process begins with the growth of hyphae or rhizomorphs AND their firm attachment to the surface of the ROOTs. The pathogen uses a combination of methods such as mechanical pressure, toxin production, AND cell wall-degrading enzymes to penetrate the ROOT tissues. Successful control of the disease is possible only by combining chemical, cultural, biological control methods AND use of resistant ROOTstocks AND cultivars due to delay in diagnosis of the disease before the spread of the pathogen in plant AND soil AND the appearance of symptoms, the presence of an extensive network of rhizomorphs at a distance from the tree AND deep in the soil AND formation of the mycelium beneath the plant bark or inside dead wood.

Laboratory AND greenhouse experiments were carried out during the summer season of 2023 to study the effect of some safe organic compounds i.e. humic acid (HA), amino acids (AA) AND proline for controlling damping-off AND ROOT ROT diseases compared to Rizolex-T50® Wp as a fungicide. Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium solani AND Macrophomina phaseolina were isolated from naturally-infected soybean fields AND identified as a causal pathogen of damping-off AND ROOT ROT. R. solani exhibited a highest frequent followed by F. solani while M. phaseolina comprised the least pathogen frequent isolates. In pathogenicity test under greenhouse experiment, R. solani isolate No 6, F. solani No 3 AND M. phaseolina No 5 were the most aggressive isolates for causing damping-off AND ROOT ROT diseases. In laboratory experiment, proline AND humic acids displayed fungicidal activity against mycelia growth of ROOT ROT fungi. The high level of proline (300 ppm) was the most effective followed by humic acid at high level (3000 ppm). In artificially-infested soil with a mixture of pathogenic fungi under greenhouse, Rizolex-T50® Wp exhibited the highest reduction of pre, post-emergence damping-off, ROOT ROT AND wilt diseases. Morover, from the application trails, the best pROTection against the causal pathogens of soybean damping-off, ROOT ROT AND wilt was recorded by prolin at 300 ppm followed by HA at 3000 ppm. Herein, it is suggested that soaking of soybean seeds in proline 300 ppm or humic acid 3000 ppm before sowing could be considered as alternative safe methods for chemical fungicides to control ROOT ROT diseases.