Survey of faba bean (Vicia faba l.)‎ diseases in the main faba bean-growing regions of Syria

Abstract EN

During the 1995 / 96 cropping season, a quantitative disease survey was conducted in the main faba bean (vicia faba) growing regions of Syria.

the survey covered 108 fields within 45 faba bean growing areas in three of the five agro-ecological zones.

the most important and widespread fungal diseases observed at all locations were: rust (uromyces fabae), chocolate spot (botrytis fabae and b.

cinerea), ascochyta blight (ascochyta fabae), leaf spots (alternaria alternata and cercospora fabae) and wilt/root rot complex (fusarium oxysporum and macrophomina phaseolina dominating the complex).

other diseases of apparent minor importance recorded at low incidence levels at most locations were: sclerotinia blight (sclerotinia sclerotiorum), downy mildew (peronospora viciae) and stem nematode (ditylenchus dipsaci).

the distribution and severity of chocolate spot and rust was more concentrated in the coastal areas, while ascochyta blight was more prevalent within the central regions.

the disease survey confirmed earlier classifications of chocolate spot, rust and ascochyta blight as the main fungal diseases of faba bean in Syria, and identified sclerotinia stem blight and the wilt/root rot complex as potential threats to faba bean production in the coastal and central region production areas.