Alder decline has been a problem along European watercourses since the early 1990s. Hybridization was identified as the main cause of this emerging disease. Indeed, the causal agent, a soil-borne pathogen named Phytophthora alni subsp. alni (Paa) is the result of interspecific hybridization between two taxa, Phytophthora alni subsp. multiformis (Pam) and Phytophthora alni subsp. uniformis (Pau), initially identified as subspecies of Paa. The aim of this work was to characterize the ploidy level within the P. alni complex that is presently poorly understood. For that, we used two complementary approaches for a set of 31 isolates of Paa, Pam and Pau: (i) quantification of allele copy number of three single-copy nuclear genes using allele-specific real-time PCR and (ii) comparison of the genome size estimated by flow cytometry. Relative quantification of alleles of the three single-copy genes showed that the copy number of a given allele in Paa was systematically half that of its parents Pau or Pam. Moreover, DNA content estimated by flow cytometry in Paa was equal to half the sum of those in Pam and Pau. Our results therefore suggest that the hybrid Paa is an allotriploid species, containing half of the genome of each of its parents Pam and Pau, which in turn are considered to be allotetraploid and diploid, respectively. Paa thus results from a homoploid speciation process. Based on published data and on results from this study, a new formal taxonomic name is proposed for the three taxa Paa, Pam and Pau which are raised to species status and renamed P. ×alni, P. ×multiformis and P. uniformis, respectively.

International audienceSoils are living environments in which particularly abundant and diverse microbiome and fauna are evolving. The resulting biological functioning has a direct impact not only on soil fertility but also on a series of ecosystems services. Thus, microbial communities are involved in geochemical cycles in which microbial enzymes catalyse the different steps. Modulation of the corresponding activities is essential as these affect plant growth and environmental quality. In general, biodiversity affects both the productivity and stability of agroecosystems. It is therefore of paramount importance to take soil biodiversity and biological functioning into account when designing cropping systems and evaluating their impacts. The progress achieved in soil microbiology in recent years now makes it possible to propose analyses of soil biology, as has been feasible for many years for soil physicochemistry. These analyses obviously require the use of standardized procedures for soil sampling, measuring the abundance and diversity of the microbial communities, as well as the identification of bioindicators. Similarly, referential systems need to be established to interpret these analyses and diagnose the biological status of soils, and, more especially, to determine whether the obtained values are within the range of variations normal for a given soil type and land use. Great progress to standardize such procedures and establish referential systems has been achieved during large-scale research programmes carried out to characterize biodiversity on national and European scales. These diagnostic elements need to be accompanied by recommendations. The aim of ongoing research is thus to propose aids for decision-making, based on the results of biological analyses, so attempts can be made to monitor and manage biodiversity to satisfy soil fertility requirements and ensure the ecosystem services expected of soils

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