Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Phytoparasitica, cilt.54, sa.1, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Species of Macrophomina are known to cause charcoal rot disease in various cultivated plants, including maize, particularly under high-temperature and drought conditions. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of Macrophomina spp. in maize cultivation areas across Türkiye, determine the soil inoculum density, and evaluate the pathogenicity and species diversity within the pathogen population. Surveys revealed a significant correlation between the prevalence of charcoal rot disease and the phenological development stages of maize, as well as climatic factors. However, a weak correlation was observed between disease prevalence and soil inoculum density. An overall prevalence of charcoal rot in the surveyed provinces was determined to be 58.94%, with significant variations in disease severity observed among different provinces and regions. Soil analyses indicated the presence of Macrophomina microsclerotia in all surveyed agricultural fields; however, a strong relationship between inoculum presence and disease severity could not be established. Both the main and secondary maize cropping areas were surveyed; notably, despite the absence of disease symptoms in secondary cropping areas, high levels of soil inoculum were detected. Multilocus analyses using ITS and tef1-α regions identified two distinct species within the pathogen population: Macrophomina phaseolina and M. tecta. According to the geographical distribution or virulence levels, no significant differences were found in these two species. A key finding of this study is the first global report of Macrophomina tecta as a causal agent of charcoal rot disease in maize.