Three new Ceratocystis spp. in the Ceratocystis moniliformis complex from wounds on Acacia mangium and A. crassicarpa

Abstract

The genus Ceratocystis includes many important tree pathogens and agents of sap stain. These fungi have a global distribution and commonly infect wounds on trees. During a survey of woundinfecting pathogens in the genus Ceratocystis on plantation-grown Acacia mangium trees in Indonesia, several isolates resembling Ceratocystis moniliformis sensu lato (s.l.) were obtained. The aim of this study was to identify these isolates and to test their pathogenicity on commercially grown Acacia spp. in the country. Use was made of morphology and comparisons of DNA sequence data for the ITS, β-tubulin, and transcription elongation factor 1-α gene regions to identify the isolates. Three previously undescribed species in the C. moniliformis s.l. species complex were identified and are described here as C. inquinans sp. nov., C. sumatrana sp. nov., and C. microbasis sp. nov. Pathogenicity trials on Acacia mangium and A. crassicarpa in the greenhouse and in the field indicated that all three species have the potential to infect A. mangium and A. crassicarpa, although they are not considered important pathogens.

Ophiostomatoid fungi associated with mangroves in South Africa, including Ophiostoma palustre sp. nov.

“…Experiments where trees in natural forests or plantations were wounded (e.g. Geldenhuis et al 2004;Roux et al 2004Roux et al , 2007Tarigan et al 2010) have confirmed the ability of these fungi to infect trees through these wounds. In general, natural infections might be the result of wind or rain splash dispersal of spores, or by transmission of inoculum by arthropod vectors such as bark beetles, nitidulid beetles and mites (Malloch and Blackwell 1993;Six 2003;Klepzig and Six 2004;Hayslett et al 2008;Juzwik et al 2008).…”

Managing Threats to the Health of Tree Plantations in Asia

“…: Three new species of Ceratocystis have recently been described associated with a serious disease of young A. mangium trees, which developed after pruning in the Riau area, Sumatra (Tarigan et al 2011). In a recent survey, C. acaciivora (Figure 8a) was found on dying A. mangium in the absence of pruning wounds.…”

Nutrient management of contrasting Acacia mangium genotypes and weed management strategies in South Sumatra, Indonesia

“…The productivity in our experiments also compared favourably with Eucalyptus productivity in Brazil reported by Stape et al (2010), who found average MAIs of 46 m 3 ha -1 year -1 across eight locations with fertiliser applied but no irrigation. However, it does need to be recognised that acacias are no longer a preferred species in Sumatra because of their susceptibility to Ganoderma root rot (Glen et al 2009) and Ceratocystis fungal wilt (Tarigan et al 2010), and these growth rates are no longer achievable with A. mangium.…”