Cryptic Diversity, Molecular Systematics, and Pathogenicity of Genus Pestalotiopsis and Allied Genera Causing Gray Blight Disease of Tea in Taiwan, With a Description of a New Pseudopestalotiopsis Species

Plant Disease ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. PDIS-05-20-1134
Author(s):  
Ichen Tsai ◽  
Chia-Lin Chung ◽  
Shiou-Ruei Lin ◽  
Ting-Hsuan Hung ◽  
Tang-Long Shen ◽  
...  

Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze, commonly known as tea, is widely cultivated around the world in tropical and subtropical areas. Tea is mainly manufactured using young shoots of tea plants. Therefore, it is essential to control foliar diseases. Gray blight disease is caused by pestalotiopsis-like taxa and is known as one of the most destructive tea diseases. Although several studies have provided the groundwork for the fungal diseases associated with C. sinensis in Taiwan, gray blight disease has not been characterized based on diversity, molecular systematics, or pathogenicity. The goal of this study was to identify and characterize the causative agents of tea gray blight disease. A total of 98 pestalotiopsis-like isolates associated with symptomatic leaves of C. sinensis from major tea fields in Taiwan were investigated. Based on phylogenies of single and concatenated DNA sequences (internal transcribed spacer, β-tubulin, translation elongation factor 1-α) together with morphology, we resolved most of the pestalotiopsis-like species in this study. The study revealed seven well-classified taxa and seven tentative clades in three genera: Pestalotiopsis, Pseudopestalotiopsis, and Neopestalotiopsis. One novel species, Pseudopestalotiopsis annellata, was introduced. Five new records, Pseudopestalotiopsis chinensis, Pseudopestalotiopsis camelliae-sinensis, Pestalotiopsis camelliae, Pestalotiopsis yanglingensis, and Pestalotiopsis trachicarpicola, were introduced for the first time in Taiwan. Pseudopestalotiopsis chinensis was the taxon most frequently isolated from C. sinensis in this study. Furthermore, results of pathogenicity assessments exhibited that, with wound inoculation, all assayed isolates in this study were pathogenic on tea leaves. Pseudopestalotiopsis chinensis and Pseudopestalotiopsis camelliae-sinensis were identified as the major pathogens associated with gray blight disease of tea in Taiwan. To our knowledge, this is the first study of the diversity, pathogenicity, and characterization of pestalotiopsis-like fungi causing tea gray blight disease in Taiwan.

Plant Disease ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 102 (11) ◽  
pp. 2083-2100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatriz Mora-Sala ◽  
Ana Cabral ◽  
Maela León ◽  
Carlos Agustí-Brisach ◽  
Josep Armengol ◽  
...  

Cylindrocarpon-like asexual morphs infect herbaceous and woody plants, mainly in agricultural scenarios, but also in forestry systems. The aim of the present study was to characterize a collection of Cylindrocarpon-like isolates recovered from the roots of a broad range of forest hosts from nurseries showing decline by morphological and molecular studies. Between 2009 and 2012, 17 forest nurseries in Spain were surveyed and a total of 103 Cylindrocarpon-like isolates were obtained. Isolates were identified based on DNA sequences of the partial gene regions histone H3 (his3). For the new species, the internal transcribed spacer and intervening 5.8S nrRNA gene (ITS) region, β-tubulin (tub2), and translation elongation factor 1-α (tef1) were also used to determine their phylogenetic position. Twelve species belonging to the genera Cylindrodendrum, Dactylonectria, and Ilyonectria were identified from damaged roots of 15 different host genera. The species C. alicantinum, D. macrodidyma, D. novozelandica, D. pauciseptata, D. pinicola, D. torresensis, I. capensis, I. cyclaminicola, I. liriodendri, I. pseudodestructans, I. robusta, and I. rufa were identified. In addition, two Dactylonectria species (D. hispanica sp. nov. and D. valentina sp. nov.), one Ilyonectria species (I. ilicicola sp. nov.), and one Neonectria species (N. quercicola sp. nov.) are newly described. The present study demonstrates the prevalence of this fungal group associated with seedlings of diverse hosts showing decline symptoms in forest nurseries in Spain.


Plant Disease ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 103 (10) ◽  
pp. 2548-2558 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuchun Wang ◽  
Fei Xiong ◽  
Qinhua Lu ◽  
Xinyuan Hao ◽  
Mengxia Zheng ◽  
...  

Several Pestalotiopsis-like species cause gray blight disease in tea plants, resulting in severe tea production losses. However, systematic and comprehensive research on the diversity, geographical distribution, and pathogenicity of pathogenic species associated with tea plants in China is limited. In this study, 168 Pestalotiopsis-like isolates were obtained from diseased tea plant leaves from 13 primary tea-producing provinces and cities in China. Based on a multilocus (internal transcribed spacer, translation elongation factor 1-α, and β-tubulin gene region) phylogenetic analysis coupled with an assessment of conidial characteristics, 20 Neopestalotiopsis unclassified isolates, seven Pestalotiopsis species, including two novel (Pestalotiopsis menhaiensis and Pestalotiopsis sichuanensis), four known (Pestalotiopsis camelliae, Pestalotiopsis chamaeropis, Pestalotiopsis kenyana, and Pestalotiopsis rhodomyrtus) and one indistinguishable species, and three Pseudopestalotiopsis species, including two known (Pseudopestalotiopsis camelliae-sinensis and Pseudopestalotiopsis chinensis) and one indistinguishable species, were identified. This study is the first to evaluate Pestalotiopsis chamaeropis on tea plants in China. The geographical distribution and pathogenicity tests showed Pseudopestalotiopsis camelliae-sinensis to be the dominant cause of gray blight of tea plants in China. In vitro antifungal assays demonstrated that theobromine not only derepressed mycelial growth of the 29 representative isolates but also increased their growth. Correlation analysis revealed a linear positive relationship between the mycelial growth rate and pathogenicity (P = 0.0148).


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno W. Ferreira ◽  
Janaina L. Alves ◽  
Pedro W. Crous ◽  
Robert Barreto

Abstract Korunomyces is a genus including fungi that produce stipitate, profusely branched, multicellular asexual reproductive structures (propagules) on leaves and in culture. Three species have been described in the genus: Korunomyces terminaliae – the type species, K. prostratus and K. zapatensis. No molecular studies have ever been conducted to elucidate the phylogenetic placement of Korunomyces. Recently, DNA sequences were obtained from pure cultures of K. prostratus and K. terminaliae, enabling an elucidation of their taxonomic placement. Isolates of K. prostratus obtained from diseased tissues of Miconia calvescens were observed for the first time to form pycnidial conidiomata in culture. A multi-gene phylogeny, including the large subunit of the nrDNA (nc LSU rDNA), internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, polymerase II second largest subunit (RPB2) and translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF1), placed K. prostratus and K. terminaliae within Coniella (Schizoparmaceae). As Korunomyces is younger than Coniella, it is reduced to synonymy, and a new name and a new combination are proposed for these two species, namely: Coniella ferreirense nom. nov. and Coniella prostrata comb. nov. An emended description of Coniella to include the occasional formation of distinct and elaborate asexual propagules is also provided.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 508 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
XU ZHANG ◽  
ZHI-QUN LIANG ◽  
SHUAI JIANG ◽  
CHANG XU ◽  
XIN-HUA FU ◽  
...  

Baorangia duplicatopora is described as a new species from Hainan Province, a tropical region of China. It is morphologically characterized by large to very large basidiomata with a dull rose red, rose pink to purplish red pileus, compound pores, pileus context near hymenophore and stipe context staining blue when injured, a red stipe, and cheilocystidia wider than those of other Baorangia species. Phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequences from part of the 28S gene, the nuc rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, and part of the translation elongation factor 1-α gene (TEF1) also confirmed that B. duplicatopora forms an independent lineage within Baorangia. Detailed descriptions, color photographs of fresh basidiomata, and line drawings of microscopic features of the new species are presented. A key to species of Baorangia in the world is also provided.


Plant Disease ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gonzalo A. Díaz ◽  
Adrián Vinicio Valdez ◽  
Francois Halleen ◽  
Enrique Ferrada ◽  
Mauricio A. Lolas ◽  
...  

In recent years, the number of apple trees affected by Botryosphaeria cankers and dieback has considerably increased in central Chile. This study aimed to identify the species of Botryosphaeriaceae associated with canker and dieback symptoms, estimate disease incidence and distributions, and study their pathogenicity and virulence on apple and other fruit crops. A field survey of 34 commercial orchards of apple (7-to 30-year-old) was conducted in 16 localities obtaining 270 symptomatic branches and trunks samples in 2017 and 2018 growing seasons. The incidence of Botryosphaeria canker and dieback ranged between 5 and 40%, and a total of 255 isolates of Botryosphaeriaceae spp. were obtained from 238 cankers. Morphological identification along with phylogenetics studies of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) of the rDNA, part of the translation elongation factor 1-α (tef1-α), and part of the beta tubulin (tub2) genes allowed to identify Diplodia mutila (n = 49 isolates), D. seriata (n = 136 isolates), Lasiodiplodia theobromae (n = 16 isolates) and Neofusicoccum arbuti (n= 54 isolates). L. theobromae was isolated mainly of apple dieback from northern localities. All pathogens tested were pathogenic, causing canker and dieback symptoms on lignified twigs of apple, pear, walnut, and green grapevine shoots in the field. Isolates of N. arbuti were the most virulent by reproducing more severe cankers on lignified tissues inoculated. This study reports D. mutila and L. theobromae for the first time associated with Botryosphaeria canker and dieback in Chile, and it is the first description of N. arbuti causing apple dieback worldwide.


Plant Disease ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 99 (12) ◽  
pp. 1678-1688 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonia Carlucci ◽  
Francesca Cibelli ◽  
Francesco Lops ◽  
Maria Luisa Raimondo

Botryosphaeriaceae spp. have a cosmopolitan distribution and a wide range of plant hosts. Over the last 15 years, worldwide, 21 species of this family have been associated with grapevine trunk diseases that cause cankers and dieback on grapevines. Here, we surveyed vineyards of Vitis vinifera ‘Lambrusco’, ‘Sangiovese’, and ‘Montepulciano’ in three areas of the Foggia province (Cerignola, Foggia, and San Severo) in southern Italy. Wood samples from grapevines showing general decline, dieback, cankers, and wood and foliar discoloration yielded 344 fungal isolates identified as Botryosphaeriaceae spp. A phylogenetic study combining internal transcribed spacer and translation elongation factor 1-α sequences of 60 representative isolates identified nine botryosphaeriaceous species: Botryosphaeria dothidea, Diplodia corticola, D. mutila, D. seriata, Dothiorella iberica, Do. sarmentorum, Lasiodiplodia citricola, L. theobromae, and Neofusicoccum parvum. Pathogenicity tests confirmed that all nine species cause canker and dieback of grapevines. However, this is the first report of L. citricola as causal agent of wood cankers and dieback of grapevine. To date, including L. citricola, there are 25 botryosphaeriaceous species associated with V. vinifera worldwide, of which 12 have been reported for grapevines in Italy.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 479 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-43
Author(s):  
NARUEMON HUANALUEK ◽  
RUVISHIKA S. JAYAWARDENA ◽  
SAJEEWA S. N. MAHARACHCHIKUMBURA ◽  
DULANJALEE L. HARISHCHANDRA

Pestalotioid fungi commonly occur as pathogens, endophytes or saprobes. In this study, pestalotioid fungi associated with leaf spots and fruit rots were isolated from Alpinia malaccensis, A. galangal, Annona squamosa, Artocarpus heterophyllus, Citrus sp., Garcinia mangostana, Litsea petiolata, a pteridophyte, and Vitis vinifera in Chiang Rai, Thailand. Based on single- and multi-locus phylogenies using internal transcribed spacer, β-tubulin and partial translation elongation factor 1-α gene regions, along with morphological features, the isolates were identified as two new species, Neopestalotiopsis hydeana and Pestalotiopsis hydei. This is the first time a Pestalotiopsis sp. was reported associated with Litsea petiolata and a Neopestalotiopsis sp. recorded from Alpinia, Annona, Artocarpus, Garcinia and a pteridophyte in the world. This fungal group can be considered as an emerging pathogenic group on different hosts in different climatic conditions. 


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven J. Hersch ◽  
Bojana Radan ◽  
Bushra Ilyas ◽  
Patrick Lavoie ◽  
William Wiley Navarre

AbstractBacteria have evolved to sense and respond to their environment by altering gene expression and metabolism to promote growth and survival. In this work we demonstrate that Salmonella displays an extensive (>30 hour) lag in growth when subcultured into media where dicarboxylates such as succinate are the sole carbon source. This growth lag is regulated in part by RpoS, the RssB anti-adaptor IraP, translation elongation factor P, and to a lesser degree the stringent response. We also show that small amounts of proline or citrate can trigger early growth in succinate media and that, at least for proline, this effect requires the multifunctional enzyme/regulator PutA. We demonstrate that activation of RpoS results in the repression of dctA, encoding the primary dicarboxylate importer, and that constitutive expression of dctA induced growth. This dicarboxylate growth lag phenotype is far more severe across multiple Salmonella isolates than in its close relative E. coli. Replacing 200 nt of the Salmonella dctA promoter region with that of E. coli was sufficient to eliminate the observed lag in growth. We hypothesize that this cis-regulatory divergence might be an adaptation to Salmonella’s virulent lifestyle where levels of phagocyte-produced succinate increase in response to bacterial LPS. We found that impairing dctA repression had no effect on Salmonella’s survival in acidified succinate or in macrophage but propose alternate hypotheses of fitness advantages acquired by repressing dicarboxylate uptake.ImportanceBacteria have evolved to sense and respond to their environment to maximize their chance of survival. By studying differences in the responses of pathogenic bacteria and closely related non-pathogens, we can gain insight into what environments they encounter inside of an infected host. Here we demonstrate that Salmonella diverges from its close relative E. coli in its response to dicarboxylates such as the metabolite succinate. We show that this is regulated by stress response proteins and ultimately can be attributed to Salmonella repressing its import of dicarboxylates. Understanding this phenomenon may reveal a novel aspect of the Salmonella virulence cycle, and our characterization of its regulation yields a number of mutant strains that can be used to further study it.


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