Surveying peanut pod rots diseases in six governorates of Egypt during growing season 2001 revealed that the highest pod rot infection percentage was recorded from Sharkiya localities (Belbies, Fakos, Abou-Hammad and El-Husiniya, respectively) followed by Sohag (Akhmim) and Giza (Alsaff). The highest infection of pods with dry brown rot was recorded in Fakos-Sharkya followed by Fayed-Ismaellia and Belbies-Sharkya. Meanwhile, the highest percentage of pods having pink discoloration (caused by Fusarium moniliforme) was recorded from Fakos, Belbies and Mallawy counties. Also, the highest infection percentage of pods with general break-down was recorded from Abou-Hammad-Sharkiya followed by Al-Saff-Giza and Akhmim-Sohag. The isolated fungi from shells and seeds of diseased peanut pods collected from different localities were identified as Fusaium spp. (Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani, F. roseum, F. tricinctum, F. moniliforme and F. semitectum), Rhizoctonia solani, Aspergillus spp. (Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, A. parasiticus, A. terreus, A. ochraceus, and A. fumigatus), Macrophomina phaseolina, Sclerotium rolfsii, Alternaria spp., Diplodia spp., Penicillium spp., Pythium spp., Rhizopus spp. and Thichoderma spp. Isolation trials yielded 1828 fungal isolates from shells and 1204 fungal isolate from seeds. Among the isolated fungi from shells and seeds of peanut pods, Fusarium spp. were the most dominant followed by Rhizoctonia solani, Aspergillus spp., Macrophomina phaseolina and Sclerotium rolfsii, respectively. Pathogenicity testes revealed that isolates caused pod rot infection of peanut ranged between 10-55%.
Key words: Egypt localities and governorates, fungal isolates, pathogenicity peanut pod rots.