First report on tan spot disease (Pyrenophora tritici-repentis) of wheat in Syria

Abstract

During the annual pest survey in 2001 severe leaf spotting was observed in two fields in the Efrin and
Akhtarin regions of northwestern Syria, where durum wheat cultivation has recently been introduced. The spots
observed were typical of tan spot disease. The causal agent was isolated and identified as Pyrenophora tritici-repentis
(anamorph Dreshlera tritici-repentis). To our knowledge this is the first report on this disease in Syria.