First report of <i>Ficus carica</i> leaf spot caused by <i>Bipolaris sorokiniana</i>

Iran is the third largest producer of figs globally, with more than 76.41 tonnes fruit produced per annum. The following pathogens have been recorded on fig (Ficus carica, family Moraceae): Phomopsis cinerascens causing cankers (Banihashemi & Javadi, 2009); Neoscytalidium dimidiatum dieback (Ray et al., 2010); Neofusicoccum parvum stem and twig blight (Aiello 2020); Lasiodiplodia theobromae cankers; Alternaria alternata rot (Alam 2021); Cerotelium fici rust disease. During a routine survey in May 2022, leaf samples from tree spot symptoms were collected an orchard Bardaskan county, Khorasan Razavi province, Iran. was brown, irregular, medium to large (5–12 mm) thin yellowish margin (Figure 1). fungus isolated leaves using method Refaei al. (2011). fungal isolate purified potato dextrose agar (PDA) hyphal tip method. On PDA colony velvety, grey-black, irregular margin, sporulating abundantly, conidiophores single, 100–300 × 6–8 µm (n = 30), straight flexuous, septate. Conidia terminally, curved or straight, obclavate, cylindrical, fusiform broadly ellipsoidal, 30–75 15–21 50), mostly tapering toward ends, dark olivaceous brown-golden 3–12 distoseptate. Sexual morph not observed 2). These morphological characteristics consistent Bipolaris sorokiniana, as described by Manamgoda (2014). For confirmation genomic DNA extracted seven-day old mycelium provided Zhong Steffenson (2001). complete internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region rDNA gene amplified ITS1 ITS4 primers (White 1990. After sequencing, FIC1 deposited GenBank (Accession No. ON819428). A BLAST analysis revealed 97% identity isolates B. sorokiniana (MH864697.1, MH864698.1). Phylogenetic performed MEGA X software that clustered another high bootstrap support 89% 3). To confirm pathogenicity, 15 surface-sterilised, detached healthy Ficus inoculated conidial suspension (106 conidia/ml) FIC1, incubated at 25°C 12-hr photoperiod. Sterile distilled water used for controls. Brown spots developed after seven days, whereas control remained symptomless. same pathogen re-isolated, fulfilling Koch's postulates. Based these results, this first report causal agent disease F. carica globally. We are thankful University Tehran supporting research.