[A Biological Study for Effect of Fungus Taphrina spp. on Stone Fruits in the Middle Region]

A serious diseases caused by some Species of Taphrina spp. on stone fruits in Syria, caused significant losses in production in some years. A study of some Species of fungus Taphrina was carried out on the stone fruits which grow in the provinces of Homs and Hama, during 2008/2009/2010. In order to investigate the spread of diseases caused by Taphrina on the different varieties of stone fruits trees spread in the Middle Region and determine the percentage of spread and intensity, and study the effect of environmental factors in the development of these diseases. The results showed that the disease peach leaf curl caused by Taphrina deformans is the most important disease and widespread on the stone fruits trees in the study area. Peach leaf curl disease, Taphrina deformans did not notice in the 2008 season except on Almond at the site Hosen, whereas the disease record in most almond and peaches orchards which covered by the field survey during the two seasons 2009 and 2010. The results showed variation in percentage and severity of infection according to region and studied varieties, the highest percentage of infection on almonds was in Gdaida Alsharkia site on Shame Fark variety (63.63, 30.49%) in the years 2009, 2010, respectively, followed by French variety, its disease incidences range between (12 and 14.63%) during 2009 and between (3 and 8%) during 2010, while the incidence was low on Spanish variety (9.41 -13.51%) during 2009, and (2-2.43%) during 2010. Infection have not been recorded on the Oga variety during 2009, while was (8.21%) during 2010. As well as the highest severity of infection was on Shame Fark variety during both seasons. The highest percentage of infection on peaches was recorded in 2009 at the site of Rastan (Homs) on Italian variety, and in the site Khatab (Hama) on Mokhmale variety, where was (100%), and also the highest infection rate reached (100%) in the site Khatab (Hama) when on Mokhmale variety during 2010, with the highest intensity of infection at the Abo sera and Nectarine during 2009, and at the Abo sera, Mokhmale and Nectarine and during 2010. The results showed declining incidence disease on almonds and peaches in season 2010, compared with the 2009 season. The infection with disease was recorded on almond fruits only in 2010 on Shame Fark, and no infection recorded on fruits of peaches in all areas and studied varieties. The appearance of disease was associated with climatic conditions, where the rainfall in late winter to early spring affected on the spread of the disease, and infection appeared only when the air temperature was 16 m with high relative humidity Taphrina pruni did not recorded on studied plums varieties during the three study seasons.