General characteristics of the mycobiota of vegetable and melon plants cultivated in Azerbaijan

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to address the limited and fragmented knowledge of fungal diversity associated with vegetable and melon crops in Azerbaijan, particularly in terms of their ecological roles and phytosanitary significance. Understanding the composition and functional structure of the mycobiota is essential for improving crop protection strategies, minimizing yield losses, and ensuring sustainable agricultural production in regions with diverse environmental conditions. The work is therefore important both from a scientific perspective, as it contributes to regional mycological knowledge, and from an applied perspective, as it informs disease management practices. Field sampling was conducted in the Kur-Araz lowland and the Greater Caucasus under both open-field and protected cultivation systems. Approximately 400 samples were collected from different plant organs of major vegetable and melon crops. Fungi were isolated using standard culture-based techniques on Čapek–Doks medium, followed by morphological identification using established taxonomic keys and atlases. The identified taxa were classified at multiple taxonomic levels and further analyzed based on their ecotrophic and functional characteristics using descriptive statistical methods. A total of 178 fungal species were identified, with Ascomycota dominating the mycobiota (84.3%), followed by Basidiomycota (6.7%), Oomycota (5.1%), and Mucoromycota (3.9%). At the ecological level, facultative forms constituted the majority (80.9%), while true saprotrophs and biotrophs accounted for 10.1% and 9.0%, respectively. Functionally, 124 species (69.7%) were phytopathogenic, 20 species (11.2%) were associated with spoilage, and 34 species (19.1%) had unknown roles. Additionally, 8 species were recorded for the first time in Azerbaijan. Overall, the study demonstrates a high diversity and predominance of phytopathogenic fungi, highlighting the need for continuous monitoring and integrated disease management strategies to support sustainable crop production.