Studies on medicinal plants pests, diseases and weeds

During the years 1998-2001 the following plant pests were collected and identified on present medicinal plants in Esfahan province. Lepidoptera; Noctuidae, Heliothis armigera Hubner, Plusia gamma L., Agrotis segetum Schiff, Caradrina exigua Hubner. Pieridae, Pieris rapae Lecerf. On: Indian hemp, flax, martigal, hyssop, spinach, castro oil, peppermint, squash. Orthoptera: Sphingonotus sp., Acrotylus sp., Heteracris sp., Aiolopus sp. Inside the survyed fields. Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Sitona humeralis Steph., S. puncticollis Steph. Apionaestivum Germar, Bruchidae: Spermophagus sericeus Geoffr On: Ferfoliat and madder Hemiptera: Pentatomidae: Graphosoma lineatum On: Fennel Hornoptera: Delphacidae: Laodephax steriatellus Mulsant& Rey, Cicadellidae: Macrostelles leavis Ribaut, Austroagalia sinuata Mulsant. On: castro oil, hyssop, balm leaf, soap wort viper's, bugloss, chicory Aphididae: Aphis gossypii Glover, Eucarariaelegans Ferrari, Hydaphis sphondyti Koch. On: pepper mint, mellisa, fennel, squash. Diaspididae: Parlatoria ephedrae Lindinger On: ephedra, Mollusca: Helicidae: Helicella kryrnickii Krynichii, H candeharica L. On: inula, valerian, winter cherry, wild thyme Acari, Tetranychidae: Tetranychus urticae Koch. On: peppermint. Coceinella septempunctata L. (Coccinellidae) Orius albidipennis Reuter (Anthocorridae), Aelothrips fasceatus Bagnall and A. intermedus Bagnall (Aclothripidae) Phytoseiulus persimilis (Phytoseidae). . Medicinal plants are also infected by fungal diseases. The four years servey (1998- 2002). Indicated that, there are various fungi infecting the roots as well as the arial plant parts of medicinal plants grown in Isfahan. Lavander, Rose mary and Viper's buglass plants were infected by Fusarium oxysporum , F solani on roots, showing wilting and eventually plants death, though, F culmorum was also isolated but not showed pathogencity, The Sage paints also were infected by F solani considerably. Burdock plants were also infected by root- rot fungal agents not only by F .oxysporum, F. solani, but also Verticillium dahlia and V albo-atrum. Common balm was infected only by F solani. There was also simoultanous infection to Rhizoctonia solani. The arial infections were mainly of powdery mildews, downy mildews and rust. The naked seed and pumpkin arge gourd were infected fo Erysiphe cichoracearum, Sphaerotheca Fuliginea, Johns- Wort! Pypericum to Leveillula guttiferatum, E. hypersici, Estragon to E. artemisiae, Bitter sweet to E. beceleate Hedge mustard to E. communiis, Marsh mallows (Althaea ofjicinalis and Malva silvestris) to L. malvacearum, Licoric to L. leguminosar. Dill and Coriander to L. umbelleferatum. Downy mildews were observed on Spinage tPeronospora farinosay, Summer savory (P. Lamii) and Waybread (P. alta). There was also rust diseases on medicinal plants including, Estragon (Puccinia absinthiy, Wild thyme (P. serpylli, P. mentha) and also on Pudding grass and Peppermint (P. mentha). White rusts, Albugo candida were also on some of the medicial plants including, Huge mastard and Mother's heart. The two species of Verticillium dahha and V albo- atrum with lower frequency on some of medicinal plants specially on Lavander, Rose mary, Pudding gross, Pepper mint, Castor was found and there was typical symptoms on pepper mint. Rhizoctionia solani is an another fungal infecting agents, causiag dry canker on roots and under graund stems of some of the medicial plants in this area. Deficiencies are also the other problems of these plants, out of which, the sever Iron deficiency was on Balm- Leaf. . In 'a four year investigation on important medicinal plants viruse disease, that cultivated in Esfahan province and have economic value, so medicinal plants that grow on research estations such as: Kashan, Fozveh and Jenatabad, Collected samples showed, yellows stunt, mosaic and alnormal leares. Based on serological tests and mechanical inocultation, cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) was recognized from Heracleum persicum and thymus vulgaris. Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV) from Cucurbita bybrida and Beet" western yellows virus isolated from Apium gravulence, so from black eumin (Nigella sativa)