The forgotten Calonectria collection: Pouring old wine into new bags

Abstract

The genus Calonectria with its Cylindrocladium asexual morphs has been subject to several taxonomic revisions in the past. These have resulted in the recognition of 116 species, of which all but two species (C. hederae and C. pyrochroa) are supported by ex-type cultures and supplemented with DNA barcodes. The present study is based on a large collection of unidentified Calonectria isolates that have been collected over a period of 20 years from various substrates worldwide, which has remained unstudied in the basement of the CBS-KNAW Fungal Biodiversity Centre. Employing a polyphasic approach, the identities of these isolates were resolved and shown to represent many new phylogenetic species. Of these, 24 are newly described, while C. uniseptata is reinstated at species level. We now recognise 141 species that include some of the most important plant pathogens globally.

Two novel species of Calonectria isolated from soil in a natural forest in China

“…Species in the Ca. kyotensis complex are characterized by having sphaeropedunculate vesicles with lateral stipe extensions on a conidiogenous apparatus (Crous et al 2004, Lombard et al 2010b, 2016. No lateral stipe extensions were produced by Ca.…”

“…paracolhounii and Ca. pseudocolhounii (Crous 2002, Lombard et al 2010b, 2016, Chen et al 2011. The macroconidia of Ca.…”

“…kyotensis complex and is phylogenetically closely related to Ca. canadiana (Crous 2002, Crous et al 2004, 2016. The macroconidia of Ca.…”

“…As an important fast-growing tree species, Eucalyptus plays a significant role in the global pulpwood supply. Previous research showed that Calonectria leaf blight (CLB), associated with several species of Calonectria, is considered to be one of the most prominent Eucalyptus leaf diseases that has occurred in numerous countries such as Brazil (Alfenas et al 2015, Lombard et al 2016, China (Zhou et al 2008, Chen et al 2011), Colombia (Rodas et al 2005), India (Sharma et al 1984) and Vietnam (Old et al 1999). Other fungal diseases of Eucalyptus spp.…”

“…Species of Calonectria are also rapidly dispersed via aerial dissemination and water movement, which leads to the transmission of Calonectria disease . Based on previous studies, at least 145 Calonectria species have been identified using molecular data and have been described worldwide (Crous 2002, Crous et al 2004, Lombard et al 2010a, b, c, 2011, 2016, Chen et al 2011, Alfenas et al 2013a, Gehesquière et al 2015. Sixty species were isolated from soil samples collected in subtropical or tropical regions (Crous 2002, Crous et al 2004, Lombard et al 2010a, b, c, 2015, 2016, Chen et al 2011, Alfenas et al 2015.…”