Fungi of Alternaria nees genus in sunflower seeds

107 samples of sunflower seeds collected in 2010-2013 in the districts of the Krasnodar, Stavropol, Voronezh, Volgograd, Penza, Rostov and Saratov regions of the Russian Federation were analyzed. 1330 mono-conidial isolates of Alternaria sp. and several other dark-colored hyphomycetes were received and identified. There were dominating nonspecialized small-spored Alternaria species: A. te nuissima (Nees et T. Nees: Fr.) Wiltshire (67 %), A. alternata (Fr.) Keissl (13 %) and the specimens of Alternaria infectoria species complex (16.5 %); there also was found A. arborescens E.G. Simmons. These fungi affected different parts of seeds: embryos, pericarps and seed coats. Specialized species were rarely found: one isolate of A. protenta E.G. Simmons and two isolates of A. helianthi (Hansford) Tubaki et Nishihara in the samples from the Krasnodar region; seven isolates of A. helianthiinficiens E.G. Simmons, Walcz et R.G. Roberts in the samples from the Saratov region (the first report of A. helianthiinficiens in this region of Russia). The single isolates of Stemphylium sp., Ulocladium sp. and Bipolaris australiensis (M.B. Ellis) Tsuda & Ueyama were also identified.