Fungal and Fungal-like Diseases of Halophytes in the Mediterranean Basin: A State-of-the-Art Review

Halophytes are salt-tolerant plants growing in saline ecosystems and are spread throughout the Mediterranean area. Recently, there has been a renewed interest in agricultural exploitation of halophytes, but poor attention has been given to pest and disease management of these species. The objective of this review is to assess the extent and distribution of pathogenic fungal and fungal-like (Oomycota) organisms on major Mediterranean halophytes. We retrieved 92 references spanning over 100 years, with more than half published since 2000. Ascomycota is the best-represented phylum, and the order Pleosporales has the highest species diversity. The order Pucciniales prevails in Basidiomycota, whereas Peronosporales is the richest order within Oomycota. Most of the pathogenic species have been isolated from aboveground organs, especially from leaves. Portulaca oleracea is the species with the most associated pathogens (16) and records (28). Leveillula powdery mildew, caused by Leveillula taurica, is the most common disease among the selected species. Cakile maritima was found to be vulnerable to different mycotoxigenic Alternaria species. Strengthening the research on diseases of halophytes is essential to successfully grow these species and to evaluate the risks related to the presence of mycotoxigenic species, which is crucial for the effective exploitation of halophytes as crops.