The research team at the College of Agriculture at the University of Kerbala, including Prof. Dr. Adnan A. Lahuf, Prof. Dr. Rajaa G. Abdalmoohsin, M.Sc. Safa J. Shehan, in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Zuhair M. A. Jeddoa from Al-Zahra University for Girls, identified the causal agent of the root rot disease in ornamental plants, Cockscomb. This pathogen causes significant economic losses affecting many ornamental plant nurseries in the provinces of Karbala and Babylon.
The study concluded that the cause of this disease is the fungus Fusarium solani, based on its morphological and molecular characteristics, using the sequencing of genetic markers, including internal transcribed spacer, translation elongation factor-1 alpha, RNA polymerase I and II, beta-tubulin 1, and mitochondrial small-subunit ribosomal RNA genes. Additionally, the study confirmed its pathogenicity.
The study’s results were published in the American journal “Plant Health Progress” under the title “First Report of Cockscomb Root Rot Caused by Fusarium solani in Iraq.” This journal, issued by the American Phytopathological Society, holds a global classification of the first quartile (Q1) and has an cite score of 2.3 in the Scopus classification and the impact factor of 0.48 in the Clarivate classification.
