Environmental Impacts of Insect Pests and Diseases on Vulnerability of Grass and Forest Ecosystems
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Ahmed Ismail Ahmed Safi, Institute of Gum Arabic Research and Desertification Studies, University of Kordofan, Elobied, Sudan.
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Ahmed Hashim Ahmed, Department of Crop Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan.
This study was carried out in 15 locations with collective gardens, parks, athletics, courts and home gardens at Khatoum State with the aim of casting light on the effect of fungi and insects on the growth of turf grasses, Bermuda species, (Cynodon dactylon in addition to natural vegetation and tree species, because these grasses, natural vegetation and tree species which are cultivated in private and public gardens, courts, athletics and green land entertainments in Khartoum State are gaining great importance locally and nationally. To study the fungus infection on these gardens, fifteen locations (gardens) were investigated, and therefore, four fungi species (FS) were isolated. These included Fusarium nivale, Drechslera spicifera, Rhizoctonia solani, and Curviularialunata. Complex infection with these fungi resulted in severe blight and death of the grasses leading to desertification of the infected areas. The symptoms of the branches wilt disease in the susceptible tree hosts include leaf yellowing, defoliation and formation of masses of black spores under the bark and the stem and finally death of the host trees. For the economical species such as A. sengal tree and the biological control techniques proposed by this study should be implemented. Farmers should use electronic swards rather than axes for pruning the branches and stems infected trees to reduce and amount of liberating air-borne spores.
Pests, Diseases, Grass and Forest Ecosystems
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