The College of Agriculture at the University of Basra organized a scientific workshop on "How to Diagnose the Most Common Fungal Plant Diseases in Basra Governorate."

The workshop aimed to introduce participants to common fungal plant diseases in Basra Governorate, how to diagnose them in the field, and how to identify their pathogens.

The workshop, presented by Dr. Yahya Ashour Saleh, Dr. Alaa Awda Maneh, and Dr. Ali Zuhair Abdul, included a presentation on common fungal plant diseases in the governorate, such as damping-off, root rot, Fusarium wilt, early blight, leaf spot, and charcoal rot, affecting various crops grown in the governorate. Participants learned how to identify these diseases in the field through symptoms and signs, as well as how to isolate their pathogens and diagnose them in the laboratory using a compound microscope and classification keys.

The workshop recommended that specialists identify the disease symptoms present on crops and compare them with previous symptoms, if any, or apply Koch's hypotheses after isolating the pathogen. It also emphasized the importance of a thorough understanding of the process of diagnosing fungal pathogens according to the taxonomic keys and descriptions found in available taxonomic sources.

Media and Government Communication Division / College of Agriculture