Aurifilum, a new fungal genus in the Cryphonectriaceae from Terminalia species in Cameroon

Abstract

Native Terminalia spp. in West Africa provide a popular source of construction timber as well as medical, spiritual and social benefits to rural populations. Very little is, however, known regarding the diseases that affect these trees. During an investigation into possible diseases of Terminalia spp. in Cameroon, orange to yellow fungal fruiting structures, resembling those of fungi in the Cryphonectriaceae, were commonly observed on the bark of native Terminalia ivorensis, and on dead branches of non-native Terminalia mantaly. In this study the fungus was identified based on morphological features as well as DNA sequence data (ITS and β-tubulin) and its pathogenicity was tested on T. mantaly seedlings. Our results showed that isolates of this fungus represent a previously undescribed genus in the Cryphonectriaceae, which we describe as Aurifilum marmelostoma gen. et sp. nov. Pathogenicity tests revealed that A. marmelostoma is pathogenic on T. mantaly. These tests, and the association of A. marmelostoma with disease symptoms on T. ivorensis, suggest that the fungus is a pathogen of this important tree.

Novel species of Celoporthe from Eucalyptus and Syzygium trees in China and Indonesia

“…Research showed that some pathogens in the Cryphonectriaceae may undergo host shifts (Slippers et al 2005), enabling them to infect tree species other than their native hosts (Wingfield 2003;Gryzenhout et al 2004Gryzenhout et al , 2006bGryzenhout et al , 2009Gryzenhout et al , 2010Heath et al 2006;Nakabonge et al 2006a, b;Begoude et al 2010;Vermeulen et al 2011). It has been suggested further that species of Chrysoporthe that infect non-native plantation-grown Eucalyptus have originated from native trees in the Myrtales Rodas et al 2005;Heath et al 2006;Gryzenhout et al 2006bGryzenhout et al , 2009Gryzenhout et al , 2010.…”

“…These were supplemented by analyses of the conserved 5.8S rDNA and the exon regions of the BT (including partial exon 4, exon 5, partial exon 6 and partial exon 7) gene regions for previously described species in the Cryphonectriaceae (Gryzenhout et al 2009, Begoude et al 2010, Vermeulen et al 2011). The datasets of Gryzenhout et al (2006aGryzenhout et al ( , 2009 (Gryzenhout et al 2009).…”

“…A HRc Axiocam digital camera with Axiovision 3.1 software (Carl Zeiss Ltd., Germany) was used to capture images and to obtain measurements. Characteristics of specimens were compared with those published for closely related species in the Cryphonectriaceae (Gryzenhout et al 2009, Begoude et al 2010, Vermeulen et al 2011. The results were presented as (min-) (mean 2 st.dev.…”

“…& D. Sacc., which is the type genus, 13 other genera have been described in this family (Nakabonge et al 2006a;Cheewangkoon et al 2009;Gryzenhout et al 2009Gryzenhout et al , 2010Begoude et al 2010;Vermeulen et al 2011).…”

New records of the Cryphonectriaceae from southern Africa includingLatruncellus auroraegen. sp. nov.

“…The Cryphonectriaceae includes fungi previously treated broadly in the Cryphonectria-Endothia complex (Gryzenhout et al 2009) and currently accommodates 12 genera (Gryzenhout et al 2009(Gryzenhout et al , 2010aBegoude et al 2010;Chungu et al 2010). The family includes important tree pathogens, such as Chrysoporthe austroafricana Gryzenh.…”