Browsing by Author "Erper, Ismail"

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Citation - WoS: 5
Citation - Scopus: 5
Armillaria Species Causing Kiwifruit Vine Decline and Root Rot in Northeastern Türkiye: a Growing Concern for Kiwifruit Health
(Wiley, 2024) Turkkan, Muharrem; Bozoglu, Tugba; Dervis, Sibel; Erper, Ismail; Ozer, Goksel; 16.01. Department of Organic Agriculture / Organik Tarım Bölümü; 16. School of Vocational Higher School of Kızıltepe/ Kızıltepe Meslek Yüksekokulu; 01. Mardin Artuklu University / Mardin Artuklu Üniversitesi
Kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) production in northeastern T & uuml;rkiye is facing an emerging threat from Armillaria root rot. Surveys conducted in August 2021 and 2022 revealed that 10.5%-17.5% of the 200-500 vines within each of 35 kiwifruit orchards in the Per & scedil;embe, G & uuml;lyal & imath; and Alt & imath;nordu districts of Ordu province exhibited symptoms of Armillaria root rot, including complete defoliation. Diseased plants exhibited diagnostic signs on their root collars and woody roots, including white mycelial fans, extensive wood rot and rhizomorphs. A single Armillaria isolate was obtained from each of the 35 symptomatic orchards. Molecular identification, employing DNA sequencing of the large subunit (LSU) region of rDNA, the translation elongation factor subunit 1-alpha (TEF1) gene and the second largest RNA polymerase II B-subunit (RPB2) gene, identified 20 isolates as Armillaria gallica and 15 as A. mellea. Phylogenetic analyses, based on TEF1 alignments, further supported the species identification with a 100% bootstrap value. To examine genetic diversity, start codon targeted (SCoT) marker 13 was used, successfully differentiating the two Armillaria species and revealing three distinct clades. Clades I and II comprised 15 and 5 isolates of A. gallica, respectively, while Clade III contained all 15 A. mellea isolates. Pathogenicity testing on kiwifruit seedlings (cv. Hayward) revealed the ability of both A. gallica and A. mellea isolates to induce disease. Rhizomorph-producing isolates in kiwifruit seedlings displayed high virulence, inducing severe leaf necrosis and seedling mortality, while isolates lacking these structures were non-pathogenic. This study identifies the first global instance of A. gallica causing kiwifruit root rot. This finding, along with the identification of A. mellea as a causal agent in the country, highlights the emerging threat of Armillaria root rot to kiwifruit production in the region.
Armillaria Species Causing Kiwifruit Vine Decline and Root Rot in Northeastern Turkiye: a Growing Concern for Kiwifruit Health (Vol 172, E13409, 2024)
(Wiley, 2025) Turkkan, Muharrem; Bozoglu, Tugba; Dervis, Sibel; Erper, Ismail; Ozer, Goksel; 16.01. Department of Organic Agriculture / Organik Tarım Bölümü; 16. School of Vocational Higher School of Kızıltepe/ Kızıltepe Meslek Yüksekokulu; 01. Mardin Artuklu University / Mardin Artuklu Üniversitesi
Citation - WoS: 2
Citation - Scopus: 3
Molecular and Pathogenic Characterization of Fusarium Species Associated With Dry Rot in Stored Potatoes in Kyrgyzstan
(Springer, 2025) Muratali, Dana; Dervis, Sibel; Ozer, Goksel; Turkkan, Muharrem; Bozoglu, Tugba; Alkan, Mehtap; Erper, Ismail; 16.01. Department of Organic Agriculture / Organik Tarım Bölümü; 16. School of Vocational Higher School of Kızıltepe/ Kızıltepe Meslek Yüksekokulu; 01. Mardin Artuklu University / Mardin Artuklu Üniversitesi
Fusarium dry rot is a significant fungal disease impacting postharvest potato tubers worldwide, leading to substantial losses in tuber quality, nutritional value, and seed viability. In Kyrgyzstan, where potato is a staple crop, the disease poses a critical threat to food security. This study aimed to identify and characterize Fusarium species associated with dry rot in stored potatoes from the Osh region, a major potato production area facing severe postharvest challenges. Surveys were conducted in 34 potato storage facilities across four districts, and symptomatic tubers were collected. Fifty-four Fusarium isolates were obtained and subjected to a comprehensive characterization approach, including morphological assessments, molecular analyses using iPBS markers based on retrotransposons, DNA sequencing of the translation elongation factor-1 alpha (TEF1) locus, and pathogenicity tests on the 'Soraya' potato cultivar. Fusarium sambucinum was the most prevalent species (50%), followed by F. oxysporum (similar to 17%), F. flocciferum (similar to 11%), F. equiseti (similar to 9%), F. proliferatum (similar to 5%), F. acuminatum (similar to 4%), F. solani (similar to 2%), and F. venenatum (similar to 2%). Morphological identifications were supported by iPBS2395 primer analysis, which revealed distinct DNA fingerprinting patterns among the isolates. Phylogenetic analysis of TEF1 gene sequences further confirmed species identifications, demonstrating strong congruence between morphological, iPBS, and TEF1 data. Pathogenicity tests revealed varying levels of virulence across species, with F. sambucinum exhibiting the highest overall virulence and mean lesion sizes comparable to those of F. flocciferum, while F. equiseti and F. solani showed significantly lower virulence. Except for F. sambucinum, all other Fusarium species represent first reports in Kyrgyzstan, with F. flocciferum being reported globally for the first time as a causal agent of potato dry rot. This study provides a comprehensive assessment of the Fusarium species involved in dry rot in the Osh region, highlighting the dominance of F. sambucinum and the need for enhanced management strategies to mitigate postharvest losses and strengthen food security in Kyrgyzstan.
Postharvest Management of Neoscytalidium Dimidiatum Using GRAS Potassium Salts
(Springer, 2025) Yildirim, Elif; Dervis, Sibel; Erper, Ismail; Dalbasti, Nese; Ozer, Goksel; Turkkan, Muharrem
Neoscytalidium dimidiatum is an emerging fungal pathogen of increasing phytosanitary concern due to its wide host range, aggressive postharvest behavior, and expanding geographical distribution, yet comprehensive evaluations of safe, effective control measures such as potassium salts remain limited. This study investigated eight potassium salts-acetate, benzoate, bicarbonate, carbonate, citrate, metabisulfite, phosphate, and sorbate-compared to three commercial fungicides (imazalil, thiophanate-M, and tebuconazole + fluopyram) for their antifungal efficacy against N. dimidiatum in vitro (culture assays) and in vivo (postharvest apple fruit trials). In vitro assessments revealed potassium metabisulfite (EC50 = 4.4 x 10-5 g mL-1) and potassium sorbate (EC50 = 9.0 x 10-5 g mL-1) as the most effective salts, demonstrating antifungal activity comparable to commercial fungicides imazalil, tebuconazole + fluopyram, and thiophanate-M. These two potassium salts consistently inhibited mycelial growth, arthrospore germination, and germ tube elongation even at the lowest tested concentrations, while other potassium salts showed variable and generally lower efficacy. In vivo experiments on apple fruits further confirmed these findings, with potassium metabisulfite providing up to 92.48% lesion reduction in protective applications at 1.0 x 10-2 g mL-1, comparable to thiophanate-M (93.81%) and tebuconazole + fluopyram (98.47%). Notably, potassium metabisulfite outperformed imazalil, which only reached 61.36% protection at its highest concentration. In curative applications, potassium metabisulfite and phosphate achieved approximately 87% lesion reduction at 1.0 x 10-2 g mL-1, matching the performance of commercial fungicides at their recommended concentrations. Interestingly, low concentrations of potassium benzoate and carbonate increased lesion development in both protective and curative applications. These findings suggest potassium metabisulfite as a promising alternative to conventional fungicides for controlling N. dimidiatum infections, with potential applications in sustainable disease management strategies.