COMMUNITY OF PATHOGENIC FUNGI WHICH CONTAMINATING AGRICULTURAL SOIL IN IRAQ

Abstract

Agricultural soils in the world, including Iraq, have of a wide range of fungi, some of which are useful and some are pathogenic to plants. Fungi are important organisms in their effect and their impact on the environment. Some of them are more common and widespread depending on the physiological, genetic and cellular characteristics of these fungi and soil physical, chemical and biological conditions, also environmental conditions. The useful fungus plays a positive role in the soil by analyzing organic compounds, plant and animal wastes, production of carbohydrate compounds, and recycling of elements such as sulfur, potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen in the soil and conversion of protein compounds to ammonia and simple nitrogen compounds. In contrast, pathogenic fungi infect plants and cause large economic losses. Number of common fungi spread in the Iraqi soil such as genus Alternaria, Aspergillus, Fusarium, Macrophomina, Phtophthora, Pythium, Rhizoctonia. The aim of the study was to show the importance of pathogenic soil- born fungi and the most important diseases they cause.