In order to study fungi associated with seeds of sainfoin, several seed samples of sainfoin were collected from Isfahan, Ardabil, Zanjan and eastern Azerbaijan provinces, Iran. Seed lots, only half of which were surface sterilized, were allowed to grow on PDA, SMA, MA, sterilized wet paper and drenched sands. The dishes containing seeds were incubated at 25°C with alternate cycles of 12-hour fluorescent light. After seven days, fungi growing from the seeds were transferred to the selective media and subjected to morphological studies. Single spore or hyphal tips from these transfers were the basis for all identification procedures. The most prevalent fungi associated with sainfoin seed were Alternaria, Aspergillus, Penicillium and Rhizopus, although Ulocladium, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Mucor, Nigrospora, Stemphylium, Trichothecium and Botrytis were also isolated in low incidence from these seed lots. The isolates of Uromyces and Oidiopsis were also obtained when the seed samples were examined by washing method.

Keywords: Sainfoin ( Onobrychis viciifolia), Seed mycoflora

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