Identification and Characterization of Sphaerulina vaccinii as the Cause of Leaf Spot and Stem Canker in Lowbush Blueberry and its Epidemiology

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shawkat Ali ◽  
Paul D. Hildebrand ◽  
Willy E. Renderos ◽  
Pervaiz Akbar Abbasi

Septoria leaf spot and stem canker is an important disease of lowbush blueberry, but the causal pathogen has not been accurately identified. Based on sequence analysis of the ITS, TEF-1α, RPB2, LSU and β-tubulin genes, the pathogen aligns closely with the genus Sphaerulina. The phylogenetic analyses based on these loci demonstrate that while the pathogen is closely related to the species Sphaerulina amelanchier, it is sufficiently distinct to warrant a new species designation. No ascomata of the teleomorph were found, however, ascospores recovered from leaves fit, morphologically, with the genus Mycosphaerella. The morphological data also support a new species designation. Based on the host that this pathogen infects, we propose the name as Sphaerulina vaccinii and the disease as Sphaerulina leaf spot and stem canker. Under field conditions, it appears that initial inoculum originates from pycnidia on overwintered leaves and stem lesions (cankers) on fruiting stems. More than 90% of the initial inoculum was released during the flowering period from late May through June. Leaf spots began to appear in early June and disease severity increased in a linear manner over time. Secondary inoculum production from diseased foliage was minimal and not considered important epidemiologically. Defoliation resulting from disease began in early July and increased in a non-linear manner thereafter. Manual defoliation of blueberry stems at various times prior to harvest showed the substantial extent to which premature defoliation can affect yield. Stem lesions were also shown to have an impact on yield, even though stems were not killed.

Phytotaxa ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 257 (1) ◽  
pp. 89
Author(s):  
CHANG-LIN ZHAO ◽  
FENG XU ◽  
DONALD H. PFISTER

Truncospora wisconsinensis sp. nov., a new poroid wood-inhabiting species, is proposed based on a combination of molecular and morphological data. This species demonstrates a unique combination of characters including: annual habit; pileate basidiomata with a white pileus and pore surface; a dimitic hyphal system with non- to slightly dextrinoid, cyanophilous skeletal hyphae; and ellipsoid, truncate, slightly thick-walled, strongly dextrinoid basidiospores. Phylogenetic analyses using ITS and partial tef1-α support the position of this new species as a sister clade of T. ohiensis.


Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4551 (5) ◽  
pp. 556 ◽  
Author(s):  
TATIANA KORSHUNOVA ◽  
RAHUL MEHROTRA ◽  
SPENCER ARNOLD ◽  
KENNET LUNDIN ◽  
BERNARD PICTON ◽  
...  

An integrative molecular and morphological study is presented for the family Unidentiidae. Molecular phylogenetic analyses were conducted with the inclusion of all previous and newly obtained molecular data for the family Unidentiidae Millen & Hermosillo 2012. A new species of the genus Unidentia Millen & Hermosillo 2012, U. aliciae sp. nov., is described from Thailand as part of an inventory of sea slugs at Koh Tao. All up-to-date available morphological data for the species of the genus Unidentia is for the first time summarized. Morphological differences among the different species of Unidentia are clarified showing that every species has its own distinguishable morphological traits. According to the new molecular and morphological data, the family Unidentiidae is re-confirmed as a well-supported taxon of the aeolidacean nudibranchs. The taxonomy and phylogeny of the Aeolidacea in the light of the family Unidentiidae is briefly discussed and necessity of a fine-scale and narrowly-defined taxa approach instead of a ‘‘superlumping’’ one is highlighted. 


Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5032 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-46
Author(s):  
DIOGO PARRINHA ◽  
MARIANA P. MARQUES ◽  
MATTHEW P. HEINICKE ◽  
FARKHANDA KHALID ◽  
KELLY L. PARKER ◽  
...  

The genus Pedioplanis reaches its northernmost limit in western Angola, where it is represented by three species, Pedioplanis benguelensis, P. haackei and P. huntleyi. The taxonomic status of P. benguelensis remains problematic, mainly due to the vague original description and the loss of the original type material. Here we provide a revision of the Angolan representatives of the genus, with the description of a new species, Pedioplanis serodioi sp. nov., from the lowlands of southwestern Angola. Phylogenetic analyses using a combination of mitochondrial (16S and ND2) and nuclear (RAG-1) markers, as well as morphological data, support the recognition of the new species. For purposes of nomenclatural stability, we designate a neotype for P. benguelensis and provide motivation to correct the spelling of the specific epithet to “benguelensis”. The clarification of the status of P. benguelensis and the description of a new species contribute to a better understanding of the taxonomy and biogeography of the genus Pedioplanis, as well as the general biogeographic context of southwestern Angola, adding to the growing evidence in favor of the recognition of this region as a hotspot of lizard diversity and endemism. An updated key to the genus is also provided.  


ZooKeys ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 923 ◽  
pp. 115-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tao Luo ◽  
Ning Xiao ◽  
Kai Gao ◽  
Jiang Zhou

This study describes a new species of the genus Leptobrachella, Leptobrachella suiyangensissp. nov. from the Huoqiuba Nature Reserve, Suiyang County, Guizhou Province, China, based on morphological data and phylogenetic analyses (16S rRNA mtDNA). The new species can be distinguished from other congeners by the molecular divergence and by a combination of morphological characters, including body size, dorsal and ventral patterns, dorsal skin texture, size of the pectoral and femoral glands, degree of webbing and fringing on the toes and fingers, dorsum coloration, and iris coloration in life. Currently, the genus Leptobrachella contains 75 species, 21 of which are found in China, including seven species reported from Guizhou Province. The uncorrected sequence divergence percentage between Leptobrachella suiyangensissp. nov. and all homologous DNA sequences available for the 16S rRNA gene was found to be >4.7%. The new record of the species and its relationships with others in the same genus imply that species distribution, habitat variation, environmental adaptation, and diversity of the genus Leptobrachella in southwest China need to be further investigated.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuan-Yan An ◽  
Xiang-Yu Zeng ◽  
Kun Geng ◽  
Kevin Hyde ◽  
Yong Wang

Two hyphomycetous species were collected from leaves of Smilax china (Liliales, Smilacaceae) and Cremastra appendiculata (Asparagales, Orchidaceae). ITS barcoding indicated that they belong to the genus Zasmidium. Morphological data in combination with molecular phylogenetic analyses based on ITS, LSU and rpb2 confirmed that our Chinese strains represented a new species, Zasmidium liboense and a new record of Z. citri-griseum.


Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4772 (2) ◽  
pp. 349-360 ◽  
Author(s):  
XIAO-YU ZHU ◽  
CHU-ZE SHEN ◽  
YUN-FEI LIU ◽  
LIN CHEN ◽  
ZHENG LI ◽  
...  

Three species of geckos in the genus Goniurosaurus have been recorded from Hainan Island in China. We describe a new species, Goniurosaurus kwanghua sp. nov. Zhu & He, bringing the number of this genus in Hainan Island to four. We conducted phylogenetic analyses with two mitochondrial genes (16S & Cytb) and two nuclear genes (RAG1 & C-MOS) to validate this new species. The new species is similar to G. hainanensis, but differs in the following characters: (1) middle section of the nuchal loop wide and posteriorly protracted, (2) wider body bands with dark markings, (3) yellow stripes on posterior side of humerus and femur, linked to the first and third body bands, respectively. The type specimens are deposited in the Museum of Biology, East China Normal University (ECNU). 


PhytoKeys ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 182 ◽  
pp. 27-38
Author(s):  
Qun Liu ◽  
Gui-Yun Huang ◽  
Dai-Gui Zhang ◽  
Jian-Wen Zhang ◽  
Tao Deng ◽  
...  

Youngia hangii T.Deng, D.G.Zhang, Qun Liu & Z.M.Li, sp. nov., a new species of Asteraceae, is described and illustrated. It was collected in Wufeng County, Hubei Province, Eastern Central China. Youngia hangii is morphologically most similar to Y. rubida, but can be easily distinguished from the latter by capitula with 8–10 florets and the hairy leaf surface. Phylogenetic analyses, based on the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) and one chloroplast marker (rps16), showed that Y. hangii and Y. rubida were sister species with good support. The results of both phylogenetic analysis and the morphological data support the specific rank of Y. hangii.


2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abbas Nasehi ◽  
Jugah Bin Kadir ◽  
Farnaz Abed Ashtiani ◽  
Mehdi Nasr-Esfahani ◽  
Mui Yun Wong ◽  
...  

Nematology ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (7) ◽  
pp. 653-669 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oleg Gorgadze ◽  
Elena Fanelli ◽  
Manana Lortkhipanidze ◽  
Alberto Troccoli ◽  
Medea Burjanadze ◽  
...  

Summary A new species of entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema borjomiense n. sp., was isolated from the body of the host insect, Oryctes nasicornis (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), in Georgia, in the territory of Borjomi-Kharagauli. Morphological characters indicate that the new species is closely related to species of the feltiae-group. The infective juveniles are characterised by the following morphological characters: body length of 879 (777-989) μm, distance between the head and excretory pore = 72 (62-80) μm, pharynx length = 132 (122-142) μm, tail length = 70 (60-80) μm, ratio a = 26.3 (23.0-29.3), H% = 45 (40-51), D% = 54 (47-59), E% = 102 (95-115), and lateral fields consisting of seven ridges (eight incisures) at mid-body. Steinernema borjomiense n. sp. was molecularly characterised by sequencing three ribosomal regions (the ITS, the D2-D3 expansion domains and the 18S rRNA gene) and the mitochondrial COI gene. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that S. borjomiense n. sp. differs from all other known species of Steinernema and is a member of the monticolum-group.


Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4999 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-76
Author(s):  
Quyen Hanh Do ◽  
TRUNG MY PHUNG ◽  
HANH THI NGO ◽  
MINH DUC LE ◽  
THOMAS ZIEGLER ◽  
...  

A new species of the Cyrtodactylus irregularis group is described from Ninh Thuan Province, southern Vietnam based on molecular divergence and morphological differences. Cyrtodactylus orlovi sp. nov. is distinguished from the remaining Indochinese bent-toed geckos by having the unique combination of the following characters: size medium (SVL 61.0–77.7 mm); dorsal tubercles in 16–20 irregular rows; 36–39 ventral scale rows; precloacal pores absent in females, 5 or 6 in males, in a continuous row; femoral pores absent; 3–8 enlarged femoral scales; postcloacal spurs 1 or 2; lamellae under toe IV 16–19; a continuous neckband; a highly irregular transverse banded dorsal pattern; the absence of transversely enlarged median subcaudal scales. In phylogenetic analyses, the new species was revealed to be the sister taxon to a clade consisting of Cyrtodactylus cattienensis and the most recently described species from Vietnam, C. chungi, with 12.1–12.4% and 11.7 % pairwise genetic divergence from the two species, respectively, based on a fragment of the mitochondrial COI gene.  


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