Molecular phylogenetics and microsatellite analysis reveal a new pathogenic Ceratocystis species in the Asian‐Australian clade

Abstract

The ascomycete genus Ceratocystis has a broad geographic distribution and includes pathogens of a wide range of mostly woody hosts. Black rot of Colocasia esculenta (taro), a popular cultivated root crop in China, is caused by a species of Ceratocystis broadly treated as C. fimbriata sensu lato. Recently, isolates of Ceratocystis were obtained from black rot lesions on C. esculenta corms in two Chinese provinces. Sequence comparison of the ITS, partial β‐tubulin, TEF‐1α, MS204 and RPBII gene regions were used to identify these isolates and compare them to other Ceratocystis species. Furthermore, the diversity of Ceratocystis species in the Asian‐Australian clade (AAC) was investigated using 23 microsatellite markers. Results showed that the isolates from C. esculenta represent a novel species, which is morphologically and phylogenetically different to closely related species in the AAC, and is described here as Ceratocystis changhui sp. nov. In microsatellite analyses, this new species also emerged as distinct from others in the AAC. Inoculation tests showed that C. changhui sp. nov. is a virulent pathogen of C. esculenta corms, but produces only small lesions on Eucalyptus grandis and Eriobotrya japonica.

New Ceratocystis species associated with rapid death of Metrosideros polymorpha in Hawai`i

“…Representative sequences showing the highest similarity matches were downloaded and included in the datasets. Separate ITS datasets were generated using ex-type and ex-paratype sequences representing all described species of Ceratocystis ( Li et al 2017 , Marin-Felix et al 2017 , Liu et al 2018 ) for LAC and AAC. These datasets also included the different ITS types that have previously been described ( Al Adawi et al 2013 , Naidoo et al 2013 , Harrington et al 2014 , Fourie et al 2015 , Liu et al 2015 ).…”

“…Phylogenetically, C. huliohia groups in the C. polychroma cluster of the AAC and is closest to C. uchidae , C. changhui , C. cercfabiensis and C. polychroma , which are generally less aggressive plant pathogens than members of the LAC. Morphological features within individuals of the same species can show great variation in the dimensions of measured morphological characteristics and in some cases, these overlap with other species ( Li et al 2017 , Liu et al 2018 ). However, based on average measurements, C. huliohia can be distinguished from its closest relatives based on ascomatal size, the length of the neck and ostiolar hyphae ( Li et al 2017 , Liu et al 2018 ).…”

“…The Ascomycete genus Ceratocystis ( Sordariomycetes , Hypocreomycetidae , Microascales ) is one of 11 clearly defined genera in the Ceratocystidaceae ( De Beer et al 2014 , 2017 , Mayers et al 2015 , Nel et al 2017 ). Ceratocystis , as currently recognized, includes 36 species ( Marin-Felix et al 2017 , Liu et al 2018 ) that are characterized by their mostly black, globose ascomatal bases with long, elongated necks terminating in an ostiole, through which sticky hat-shaped ascospores exude ( Upadhyay 1981 , Seifert et al 1993 ). Based on phylogenetic inference, the species reside in four broadly defined geographic clades.…”

Ceratocystiswilt and canker – a disease that compromises the growing of commercialAcacia-based plantations in the tropics

“…The species remaining in the redefined genus Ceratocystis consist of those conforming to the previous species concept of Ceratocystis fimbriata Ellis & Halst. Liu et al 2018). Species delineations in this group are controversial and some authors maintain that many of the newly described species are conspecific with C. fimbriata .…”

IMA Genome-F 11

“…The genus Ceratocystis includes 41 species of mainly plant pathogenic fungi (Marin-Felix et al 2017;Holland et al 2019 Barnes et al 2018;Liu et al 2018). The type species, Ceratocystis fimbriata, was first described in the USA in 1890 as the causal agent of black rot of Ipomoea batatas (Halsted 1890).…”