Novel taxa in the Fusarium fujikuroi species complex from Pinus spp.

Abstract

The pitch canker pathogen Fusarium circinatum has caused devastation to Pinus spp. in natural forests and non-natives in commercially managed plantations. This has drawn attention to the potential importance of Fusarium species as pathogens of forest trees. In this study, we explored the diversity of Fusarium species associated with diseased Pinus patula, P. tecunumanii, P. kesiya and P. maximinoi in Colombian plantations and nurseries. Plants displaying symptoms associated with a F. circinatum-like infection (i.e., stem cankers and branch die-back on trees in plantations and root or collar rot of seedlings) were sampled. A total of 57 isolates were collected and characterised based on DNA sequence data for the translation elongation factor 1-α and β-tubulin gene regions. Phylogenetic analyses of these data allowed for the identification of more than 10 Fusarium species. These included F. circinatum, F. oxysporum, species within the Fusarium solani species complex and seven novel species in the Fusarium fujikuroi species complex (formerly the Gibberella fujikuroi species complex), five of which are described here as new. Selected isolates of the new species were tested for their pathogenicity on Pinus patula and compared with that of F. circinatum. Of these, F. marasasianum, F. parvisorum and F. sororula displayed levels of pathogenicity to P. patula that were comparable with that of F. circinatum. These apparently emerging pathogens thus pose a significant risk to forestry in Colombia and other parts of the world.

Prevalence, Characterization, and Mycotoxin Production Ability of Fusarium Species on Korean Adlay (Coix lacrymal-jobi L.) Seeds

“…Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and phylogenetic analysis with two protein coding genes, elongation factor 1-alpha (EF 1α) and beta-tubulin (BT2) grouped the isolated Fusarium into 10 groups, each of different species. Herron et al [16] recommended similar molecular characterization methods to identify Fusarium . In this study, morphological characterization perfectly correlated with the molecular data analysis.…”

“…Fusarium mycotoxins are important as they are disease causing agents of plants, animals, and human [15]. The Fusarium species that are the producers of mycotoxins include the Fusarium oxysporum species complex, F. graminearum species complex, F. solani species complex, F. poae , and F. verticilliodes [16]. …”

Sampling and Detection Strategies for the Pine Pitch Canker (PPC) Disease Pathogen Fusarium circinatum in Europe

“…F. circinatum belongs to the American clade of the FFSC [64,76], which accommodates many genetically-and morphologically-related species. New species in this clade are continuously being described, such as the new pine pathogenic species [93]. It is therefore of great importance that the specificity of each test published is continuously re-assessed in light of the current genetic diversity of the FFSC.…”

Prevalence, Characterization and Mycotoxin Production Ability of <em>Fusarium</em> species on Korean Adlay (<em>Coix lacrymal-jobi</em> L.) Seeds

“…Fusarium mycotoxins are important as they are disease causing agents of plants, animals, and human [15]. The Fusarium species that are the producers of mycotoxins include the Fusarium oxysporum species complex, F. graminearum species complex, F. solani species complex, F. poae, and F. verticilliodes [16].…”